Florida State wants high school to stop using its nickname and logo

Five years ago, Florida State had to fight the NCAA to keep its Seminoles nickname and logo. Now the school is in a fight to take it away from Southeast High School in Bradenton, Fla.

Southeast has been asked to stop using the nicknames "Seminoles" and "Noles'' and the university's logos such as the Indian head and the spear by an attorney representing Collegiate Licensing Co.

Southeast's athletic teams have been known as the Seminoles throughout the school's 51 years. The school is the alma mater of former Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick, who is currently an assistant football coach.

"Our goal is to continue our great relationship with Florida State University and continue the use of those marks,'' John Bowen, the attorney for the district's school board, told the Tampa Tribune. "We don't want to get in a legal battle with anybody.''

One advantage for Southeast is that their colors are blue and orange which are not to be confused with the garnett and gold of FSU. Also, the length of time that they have been using the logo works in their favor.

"As a lawyer, I would have a field day if I was representing the school board on that,'' Dineen Wasylik, a trademark attorney in Tampa, told the Tribune. "It's really hard to make a claim when you have been working side by side for 30 or 50 years.''