Board Approves Southeast High School and FSU Licensing Agreement

BRADENTON – ”Go Noles“ – both of them! The Manatee County School Board unanimously approved an agreement that would allow the Southeast Seminoles to continue using their current name, logo and trademark spearhead. The arrangement will allow current usage of the word ”Noles“ or ”Seminoles“ as long as it is in conjunction with the works Southeast High School or SEHS royalty-free.

The agreement (pdf) involves an initial five year term that would automatically renew every five years. The only way the agreement can be terminated is if the logo and marks are misused by the school district.

Southeast High School has used the nickname Seminoles since it was founded in the 1950’s. It has used the Seminole head logo and Spear for nearly 30 years. They were asked to stop using the logo marks in a letter issued on FSU’s behalf from Collegiate Licensing Company in August, 2010. Manatee County School District officials worked with local attorney and FSU facilitator David Wilcox over the past two weeks to devise a suitable agreement.           

On November 10, attorney David Wilcox sent a letter to Eric J. Barron, the attorney representing FSU outlining the understanding.  Barron signed off on the deal two days later.

”This has been an involved process, and I’m happy to say it’s the kind of thing that actually made us stronger. Florida State University and Southeast High School have been fast friends for some time. The mutual cooperation between the high school and university in this particular case and in the future will lead to a stronger bond,“ said attorney David Wilcox.

The board didn’t even discuss the matter, just expressed their gratitude and voted to approve it.

”Mr. Wilcox, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart because you stood up for us and got us a perpetual use agreement. It was your hard work and effort that got us this far and I want to thank you for that,“ said Superintendent Tim McGonagall