A real estate company has reached a truce with Virginia Tech over the use of the trademark ‘Hokie’, it has been reported.
According to the Roanoke Times, the school had attempted to sue Hokie Real Estate for the use of the mark – the famous moniker for its sports teams.
Virginia Tech was seeking to prevent the firm – owner by a graduate of the school – from calling itself Hokie, while also claiming unspecified damages.
But under an agreement reached between the two parties, the firm can continue using the term for free up until 2016 when a state trademark held for Hokie Real Estate expires.
Company owner John Wilburn, who counter-sued Virginia Tech, will also receive free tickets to Hokie football games, and other incentives such as a free, ten-year Platinum-level Hokie Club membership.
Under the terms of the agreement, he has accepted that the school owns the exclusive rights to the Hokie trademark.
Both parties agreed to pay their own legal fees, which according to Virginia Tech were in excess of $125,000.