Does WWE own the Doink gimmick?
 

I've been watching some of the indy companies and I've noticed theres a few wrestlers using "Doink the Clown". I always thought that WWE owned the gimmick since Steve Lombardi, Dink Dismore and several others play the character on RAW. Matt Borne uses variations of the character, but I was watching JCW and they have two wrestlers that play Doink as a tag team.

I imagine they don't give enough of a shit to sue over it.

They definitely own it, but probably don't care about small places like JCW using it.

If they didn't own it, TNA would have had a Doink the Clown by now.

Interesting take, then again TNA would dress up guys like Rob Terry and Jay Lethal and Hogan would say "Look and this seasoned veteran who we just signed"

WWE still owns it.

From the USPTO:

Typed Drawing
<hr width="20" align="LEFT"> <table border="0"><tbody><tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Word Mark </td> <td> DOINK THE CLOWN</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Goods and Services</td> <td>IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: entertainment services in the nature of live, televised and recorded performances by a professional wrestler/entertainer. FIRST USE: 19921030. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19921030</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Mark Drawing Code</td> <td>(1) TYPED DRAWING</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="LEFT"> Serial Number</td> <td>74637348</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Filing Date</td> <td>February 23, 1995</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Current Filing Basis</td> <td>1A</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Original Filing Basis</td> <td>1A</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Published for Opposition</td> <td> May 28, 1996</td> <!--WWWAnswer Token=T_TAG info=PO--> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Registration Number</td> <td>1994733</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Registration Date</td> <td>August 20, 1996</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Owner</td> <td>(REGISTRANT) TitanSports, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 1241 East Main Street Stamford CONNECTICUT 06902(LAST LISTED OWNER) WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION ENTERTAINMENT, INC. CORPORATION BY CHANGE OF NAME DELAWARE 1241 EAST MAIN STREET STAMFORD CONNECTICUT 06902
</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Assignment Recorded</td> <td>ASSIGNMENT RECORDED</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Attorney of Record</td> <td>LAUREN A. DIENES-MIDDLLEN</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Disclaimer</td> <td>NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "THE CLOWN" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Type of Mark</td> <td>SERVICE MARK</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Register</td> <td>PRINCIPAL</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Affidavit Text</td> <td>SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20070326.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Renewal</td> <td>1ST RENEWAL 20070326</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="TOP" align="LEFT"> Live/Dead Indicator</td> <td>LIVE</td></tr></tbody></table>

I thought Doink went to TNA like twice or something during it's FSN days.

I like that the application was made in February 1995 when the character was on its death bed and confirmed in August 1996 when the Attitude era was starting to spout and Doink was a mere bad memory (save the occasional ironic comedy appearance in the time since).

Probably was done to keep Matt Bourne from using the Doink the Clown name in the Indys, WCW, ECW or anywhere else.

It's not Matt Bourne they need to worry about: it's the 72 other "Doink the Clown"'s floating around.

Yeah it actually did him a favor, as he had likely his best gimmick in ECW as a result of the preventative measures, wherein he had a sort of schizophrenic personality and would come out some nights with half his make-up on and others just a regular guy, like a prototypical Al Snow,

http://www.ucwonline.ca/images/borneagain2.jpg