SMRi, owner of the Sturgis Rally federal trademarks, donated $50,000 to Sturgis Rally Charities Foundation with the proceeds then to be donated to local organizations. The donation is in conjunction with SMRi’s overall goal to give back to the Black Hills, a community that gave birth to and has supported the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for decades. According to a news release from SMRi, the money is from funds generated from licensing of the trademarks. A group of Sturgis residents and business owners upset with Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Inc.’s efforts to control merchandising during the annual event are currently taking their objections to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
“We feel that the Sturgis Rally Charities foundation is a great way to keep money generated by the Sturgis trademarks in the Black Hills, which is the foundation of the overall mission of SMRi. The volunteer board of SMRi has put in countless hours over the year, and being able to give back to the community makes it all worth it. The 2011 Sturgis Rally was a banner year with strong participation in and support for the licensing program and the growth of SMRi’s brands. We thank the hundreds of retailers that carry Officially Licensed Product and look forward to being able to continue to give back to a place that we call home,” said Dean Kinney, Chairman of SMRi.
PR trick. Hope they lose the trademarks. Cyril, update us on the lawsuit.
PR Trick does not begin to tell the story here! To start with the City of Sturgis just wrote SMRi a check in the amount of $50,291.00 yes that correct tax payer money was paid so they could use the name of the city in advertisement.
So from my view it’s hard to view the $50,000 as a donation when they are getting more than that in tax payer money.
“A group of Sturgis residents and business owners upset with Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Inc.’s efforts to control merchandising during the annual event are currently taking their objections to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.” Every true biker that goes to the rally needs to learn more about this. If you are freedom loving biker you will change how you spend money at the Rally! They are working to push out the small and local business and put corporate interest in charge.
For more information check out http://www.concernedcitizensforsturgis.org/
SMRI. All smoke and mirrors like explained above.
I bet that fifty thousand is exactly 50,000 more than the T-shirt guy that SMRI had to sue for using their logo has donated. All charity is good no matter what the reason for giving. If these guys get some good PR from doing this than I say good for them. But lets be real here 50,000 is a lot of change to drop just to gain some points with people that will never agree with the SMRI. So I really doubt that is why they are donating in fact as I remember the owners of SMRI stated at the time of purchasing the trademarks that they would be donating a large % of the profits, and in fact it was then that most of you bitching here today were saying they gave to little now that these guys are donating a big amount you still talk shit. I guess some of you will never be happy. Those of you that are still bitching about the SMRI should donate some of your money before you say how easy it is to give. What is easy is talking shit about other peoples money and keeping your own. If you ever do give some of your own money then you will understand it is done for the reason of being in a position that you can help more than to gain browny points like some of you guys claim.
Good Job SMRI
I wonder if they will donate any money to the kids in Sturgis, Ky where the little Sturgis rally used to be held but no longer is because they were sued?
I wonder how many “organizations” that opposed SMRI received any of this “Good Will Money”? Huh?
Over & Out,
Jeff
If one follow the money and understands what is going on. Like I posted above it is the Tax Payers of Sturgis that really paid the bill for the donation. Those Tax Payers, however were not asked if they would like to give $50,291.0o to SMRi they were assessed it as part of their property taxes.
Just My Opinion (really can’t even use a name), you state “Those of you that are still bitching about the SMRI should donate some of your money before you say how easy it is to give. What is easy is talking shit about other peoples money and keeping your own. If you ever do give some of your own money then you will understand it is done for the reason of being in a position that you can help more than to gain brownie points like some of you guys claim.” Let me share a fact many of us that attend the rally do donate money directly to many charities in the area and do not ask for any of your brownie points.
Bean’re point is also well taken about the Kid of Sturgis, KY who have been denied the benefit of their towns name.
Also that company everyone claims stole the rally logo, did not really do that all they did was print the name Sturgis on a shirt something they and other had done for years. They also provide jobs that support 15 plus employees from the local area in the Black Hills not some sweat shop in China or corporate office in Connecticut.
SMRI get a check from the city for $50,291. They give the Sturgis charities $50,000. SMRI keeps all the money they collected from licance fees for rally products. That would be $100,000 of thousands of $$$. How dumb are the people of Sturgis?