Baylor Takes Boston University to Court Over ‘BU’ Logo
Aug/19/2025
Baylor University has reignited a decades-old dispute with Boston University, suing over the latter’s adoption of an interlocking 'BU' emblem that Baylor insists is virtually identical to its federally registered mark. While a 1988 coexistence agreement permitted both schools to use 'BU' in general, Baylor contends that Boston’s expanded use of a near-duplicate design—now appearing across merchandise and sports branding—undermines more than a century of goodwill tied to Baylor’s identity. The Texas institution, which has used the mark since 1912, is seeking an injunction, the destruction of all infringing goods, and legal costs, alleging infringement, unfair competition, and false designation of origin. The case underscores how university logos, far from mere symbols of campus pride, are fiercely protected assets at the intersection of heritage, commerce, and law. The following visualization shows a comparison of the interlocking 'BU' logos used by Baylor University and Boston University, underscoring the striking similarities at the center of the dispute.
