September 21, 2017: Judge to Let Jury Decide Whether “Comic-Con” Name Is Generic, Jay-Z Reportedly Declines Super Bowl Halftime Offer, Airbnb Expands to Restaurant Reservations

1. JUDGE TO LET JURY DECIDE WHETHER €"COMIC-CON€" NAME IS GENERIC: A federal judge in California overseeing a trademark dispute between San Diego and Salt Lake City comic cons will let a jury decide whether or not the term has become generic. The Hollywood Reporter: “A California federal judge has teed up a trial this coming November in a trademark dispute over "Comic Con." In a summary judgment ruling issued this past week, U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia has given the organizers of the San Diego Comic-Con some wins, but is nevertheless reserving the key issue of genericide for a jury. SDCC is squaring off against Dan Farr and Bryan Brandenburg, who run the Salt Lake Comic Con and are being accused of trademark infringement. This is a test case. If SDCC prevails in San Diego vs. Salt Lake, other "Comic Cons" throughout the nation could be in danger. On summary judgment, Battaglia takes judicial notice of SDCC's four registered trademarks and also accepts the testimony of its expert, Matthew Ezell, who conducted a survey that revealed that 82 percent of participants understood Comic-Con to be a brand name, and not a common generic name. The judge says Ezell's work is pertinent in understanding how consumers understand the plaintiff's trademark. Conversely, Battaglia rejects the testimony of defendants' expert, Jeffrey Kaplan, who sought to provide linguistic evidence to support the proposition that ‘comic con’ is generic and ubiquitous. The judge concludes his opinions aren't sufficiently reliable because they were generated from a narrow field of documents, mostly provided by SLCC.” http://bit.ly/2xicSb4

2. JAY-Z REPORTEDLY DECLINES SUPER BOWL HALFTIME OFFER: Jay-Z has reportedly turned down an invite to headline the Super Bowl LII halftime show in Minneapolis next year. CBS Sports: “The report comes 13 months after Adele said she declined the NFL's offer to perform at the Super Bowl LI halftime show. ‘First of all, I'm not doing the Super Bowl,’ Adele told crowd during a Los Angeles performance in August 2015. ‘I mean, come on, that show is not about music. And I don't really -- I can't dance or anything like that. They were very kind, they did ask me, but I said no.’ The league denied that the artist was ever formally offered the gig. Weeks later, we learned that Lady Gaga landed the job. As for whether Jay-Z was offered the gig for February 2018, here is the NFL's response: ‘No decisions have been made on the performer(s) and we are not going to speculate on particular artists,’ league spokesman Brian McCarthy told Pro Football Talk. "Along with Pepsi, we know that we will put on a spectacular show. When it is time to announce her name we will do it. Or his name. Or their names.’ As PFT's Mike Florio notes, this isn't an outright denial by the NFL.” http://cbsprt.co/2yr5ZV6

3. AIRBNB EXPANDS TO RESTAURANT RESERVATIONS: For its ongoing effort to become a full-service travel-booking site, Airbnb is now offering restaurant reservations. Bloomberg: “Through Airbnb’s website and smartphone app, users can book tables at about 650 restaurants across the U.S., the company said on Wednesday. Diners could previously only use Airbnb to make reservations in a small test in San Francisco. The new service makes Airbnb more like Priceline, which owns OpenTable, the leading U.S. restaurant reservation website and app. Airbnb declined to disclose its method for making money from the new booking tool. However, it’s designed in part to get users to engage with Airbnb more regularly. When people book a place to stay on the company’s main home-sharing service, they may also arrange dinner out during their trip. fter its launch in 2008, Airbnb became a favorite app for travelers looking for somewhere to stay. Now the startup is looking beyond lodging. Last year, it began selling unique travel experiences like cigar-rolling classes in Cuba. It also worked on a flight-booking tool and an itinerary-planning widget that gives personalized travel suggestions based on consumer behavior, preferences and location.” https://bloom.bg/2xSNADE

* LOCAL NEWS *

ASPEN, COLORADO:  Destination management company RMC: Resort Mountain Cities has appointed Brian Mordecai director of business development. 

CHICAGO:  Moms Meet, an online community that empowers parents to raise healthier families, will host its annual WOW Summit October 13-14 at Eaglewood Resort & Spa in Itasca. The healthy living and parenting conference will offer blogger-focused workshops, networking opportunities, keynotes, and an exhibit hall with more than 40 health brands. 

Netflix has sent the Stranger Things-theme pop-up bar in Logan Square a cease-and-desist letter, asking that the bar close by October 1. DNA Info: http://dnain.fo/2xvOOng

LONDON:  The World of Fine Wine magazine will host its La Fête du Champagne event November 3-4, with wine events taking place at the Savoy and 108 Garage. 

LOS ANGELES:  People magazine will host its fifth annual "Ones to Watch" party on October 4 at NeueHouse Hollywood. The event will honor Hollywood's rising stars, and feature a touch-up station by Maybelline and music by DJ Michelle Pesce. 

The ninth annual DTLA Film Festival runs today through September 30 at L.A. Live. 

The 11th annual Hollywood Fame Awards will take place November 8 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. 

La Quinta Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, has named Victor Woo general manager.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The fourth annual Revolt Music Conference (R.M.C.) will take place October 12-15 at the Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort.

NEW YORK:  The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis will host the 32nd annual Great Sports Legends Dinner September 25 at the New York Hilton Midtown. Presented by the Tudor Group, the event will be emceed by Bob Costas and honor athletes including Simone Biles, David Ortiz, Alonzo Mourning, and Abby Wambach. 

The sixth season of MoMa PS1's VW Sunday Sessions will kick off October 22. The series will feature live performances and events that will include music, dance, conversation, and film. 

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  SeaWorld Orlando's Halloween Spooktacular takes place every Saturday and Sunday from September 23 through October 29. The event includes characters from Sesame Street, trick-or-treating around the park, a Halloween version of the "Pets Ahoy" show, and more. 

SAN FRANCISCO:  The annual Union Street Fantasy of Lights celebration will take place December 2 in the Cow Hollow neighborhood. 

TORONTO:  The Symes, a 9,700-square-fot art deco event venue in the Junction, will have its grand opening on November 8. 

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Rayna Katz, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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