NCSU to Nevada Reno: Give us Toughie back

RALEIGH -- Did someone swipe Toughie?

The fanged, snarling, beanie-wearing logo of the N.C. State University Wolfpack has shown up on souvenirs being hawked at the University of Nevada, Reno.

He's right there on a cap, a spirit flag, a welcome mat, a floorboard mat, a chair and a leather steering wheel cover -- the spitting image of Toughie except for his Reno shade of blue and a top hat.

A logo spat could follow.

Infringement cases are common at N.C. State, which counts at least 10 a year on its 15 registered trademarks, said Cindy Sears, director of trademark licensing.

And though Sears has never had a case go to court in 17 years, the Nevada example could end up in the hands of logo lawyers.

"We're just trying to protect the brand," she said.

The university trademarks two different versions of Toughie -- one strutting, one mug shot.

The swaggering logo is often called "strutting wolf," but "technically, he's Toughie," said Keith Nichols, NCSU spokesman.

Other trademarked items include the official seal with a Bell Tower design, the letters NCS in block formation and the same letters in diamond formation.

The phrases "North Carolina State University," "NC State," "NSCU" and "Wolfpack" are protected, too.

To use them for commercial purposes requires payment of an 8 percent royalty. N.C. State collects about $840,000 in royalty money each year.

Most infringement cases are simple misunderstandings and quickly corrected once a fan sees them and points them out.

That's how Sears found out about the other logo. The Reno school, by the way, is represented by the Wolf Pack -- two words.

N.C. State's trademark dates to 1984, Sears said. She added that the university's licensing agent has sent notice to Nevada but she didn't think a response had arrived.

In Reno, the top-hatted wolf may be a secondary logo to the primary side-view version, but it's not a new design, said Kurt Esser, associate athletic director for marketing and communications.

He hadn't heard anything about trademark infringement Tuesday and opted to hold comment.

"I've seen [the top-hat wolf] on game logos since the 1980s," he said. "We haven't used it a lot."

It wouldn't make any difference that the Nevada wolf is blue and wearing a different chapeau, Sears said. N.C. State allows "fashion colors" of its trademark wolf.

There is one exception, Sears said: No Carolina blue.