Project 2025/305: Pantherian (Intimidator 305 Retheme)
- Thread starter Kings Gardens
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Actually, the company listed is INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY CORPORATION. Class is Clothing, footwear, headgear but also Education; providing of training; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities. Maybe Nascar pays them? And "engine" singular may be different. Also the sound clip may be copyrighted. But no one can stop the guests from saying it, so could be interesting.
Mini-rant but I can't stand when people get awarded trademarks on commonly used words, phrases, or expressions. I remember when LeBron James tried to file to trademark "Taco Tuesday" and the judge tossed it saying it was too commonly used to allow ownership of it. I think the cart-blanch coverage of a word like "Intimidator" is a little much, and it should come with using certain iconography and colors.
Trademarks are only applicable to a class of product or service, not everything. If KD had originally named the ride Intimidator and themed it to some animal or something else non driving related, there wouldn't much of a TM claim.
Is it able to be confirmed that’s what they wanted to do of Intimidator and car combined?
Actually NASCAR doesn't use the phase at all anymore. They have use DRIVERS start your engines. And guests saying it wouldn't be Carowinds use it for commercial purposes or under Carowinds control so there couldn't be any action taken against them.
To be clear the trademark is The Intimidator as in a propert noun not just intimidator. The nick name and usage were very clearly prominently associated with him. It wouldn't cover every use of it in common usage but if you one that could be argued were related to him. But again you can't take an item that has been clearly associated with him as this ride was when they opened it say we are going to remove the white 3 and his image and still call it the same thing but not pay for the IP rights and get away with it. It would be like FSA saying it's super man ride of steel not Superman Ride of steel so we don't have to pay DC for the IP rights anymore. It's just not going to fly.
Not a hill I would die on but like I asked, was this going to be themed to a race car from the start or did they try to trademark the name, lawsuit come up, then they compromised on this. Like, to me, to want to name a screaming swing The Intimidator and theme it to a spirit, to have this potentially block it is annoying.
Basically, my long story short is I believe copyrights on things like this should be vary narrow in scope.
Well, there’s the solution to keeping the name! Clearly Intimidator is a mystical beast, half lion and half tiger…
Half racecar driver, half gator!
Where was that post back a few pages...
Where was that post back a few pages...
To the best of my knowledge the theme was always planned and actually seems like it was a pretty decent pick especially in the Charlotte area. I think non die hard NASCAR fans significantly under estimate the draw and brand power of the Earnhardt name. Even 23 years after his death his merchandise sales still rank in the 100 for ALL sports and the top 10 for motor sports. In fact one of the rumors I have seen circulating on the retheme was that talks fell apart because CF wanted to extend the contract for Carowinds and drop 305 and they couldn't agree on a number for just the one. I have no direct knowledge or sourcing on that but it honestly wouldn't strike me as a bad move or unlikely.
Seeing as how the Carowinds rebranding went and the KD rebranding is going, I could totally see that, too. Carowinds seems to have been caught unawares and scrambled to get something in place.
I don't know how likely it is, but (this is pure speculation from me) I wonder if they might have tried to get a single year/short-term extension for I305, until they could rename it whenever it made sense, say a major retheme of the area the ride is in. But, I am just a lowly park goer.
I don't know how likely it is, but (this is pure speculation from me) I wonder if they might have tried to get a single year/short-term extension for I305, until they could rename it whenever it made sense, say a major retheme of the area the ride is in. But, I am just a lowly park goer.
Just a note as a nascar fan, Dale Earnhardts wife is the owner and admin of the name/ branding and licensing and is notorious for being hard to deal with. Many Earnhardt and intimidator branded things/ experiences have end up going through this. It was actually no shock at all to me when they were unable to continue use of the name at either park.
Who's excited for tomorrow night? 
I can't wait to see what's going on with P-305!
I can't wait to see what's going on with P-305!Is that happening today? I never saw a date attached to their statementsWho's excited for tomorrow night?
^At the very least, any Intimidator branding will be removed, in the same way it was for Carowinds. Not really expecting a "Project 305" sign & train decals or anything like that, but am interested to see what it looks like for the next year or two.
I have a feeling we’ll at least see new signage. Project 305 is definitely the official name for this year — it’s in all the park’s formal documents, like the accessibility guide:
I'm expecting the worst after seeing the "Thunder Striker" conversion at Carowinds, but hoping for something decent with the temporary name/theme this season.
I don’t care how “bad” it is if it’s temporary, in fact I kinda like the way it teases for the future and gives off the feeling of a coaster project in your back yard.
I agree. Poor quality, obviously temporary, signage and whatnot, would actually be sorta charming in my opinion.
Also, I will reiterate my demand for Project 305 merch. If KD makes it, I will buy it.
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