B.B.C. Article
John Wayne heirs sue Duke University over nickname
John Wayne's heirs are taking North Carolina's Duke University to court over the right to use the actor's nickname to market a line of bourbon.
It is the latest in a long-running feud between the university and John Wayne Enterprises over commercial products featuring the Duke name.
Lawyers for the university argue using the name could "diminish, dilute and tarnish" its own brand.



However, Wayne family lawyers say the claims are "ludicrous".
"Duke University does not own the word 'Duke' in all contexts for all purposes," Wayne's heirs wrote in a federal complaint filed in California.
"'Duke' is a common word that has been used for centuries in a wide array of commercial and other applications wholly independent of Duke University. Yet by the actions alleged herein, Duke University seems to think it owns the word 'Duke' for all purposes and applications.''

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