Published: February 04, 2010 12:00 am      

Doubleday Field receives logo

BY JIM AUSTIN
COOPERSTOWN CRIER

The Village of Cooperstown has started marketing part of its unique baseball heritage _ Doubleday Field _ and had its first customer Tuesday. Deputy Mayor Jeff Katz has been working in recent months on a plan to begin licensing the commercial use of images of the field and a newly developed logo. Katz worked with his Chestnut Street neighbor Chuck Knull, a trademark attorney who works in Manhattan.

Knull is charging the village only the cost of any filing fees. Katz said the idea, which has been talked about in the past, came out of the planning committee and is similar to what many other highprofile places do.

With Knull’s assistance, the village now has a word mark on the name Doubleday Field and a trademark on a new Doubleday Field logo.

During last month’s board meeting, the trustees approved a $1,000 ``location fee’’ to be paid by anyone using the field for a location to produce movies, commercials, products or other promotional items.

On Tuesday, a Japanese television production company was in the village to do some filming and didn’t balk at the location fee.

``They did not bat an eyelash when I told them how much,’’ Village Clerk Teri Barown said.

The village typically receives about a dozen requests each year for the use of the field, Barown said.

Katz said he is continuing his research and believes the trustees may need to establish a fee structure that is also based on how the field is being used. In the case of a movie like ``A League of Their Own ‘’ that was shot, in part, at Doubleday Field, the fee should be much higher than for someone who just wanted to use the field as a backdrop for a promotional photograph, Katz explained.

He said it is a common business practice to charge different fees.

Some Main Street merchants sell clothing emblazoned with the image of the field, but they are not being targeted by the location fee.

``In no way is the village looking to raid local stores and tell them to stop,’’ he said. ``My understanding is that from now on, the location fee would apply.

The board is not looking to punish people, but to make some money from our brand.’’

The Doubleday Field logo was created by the firm Select Designs and Katz said he received some assistance from the Hall of Fame, which ``guided us through the process.’’

Katz said he and the Hall of Fame believe there is a sufficient collectible market to make the logo a viable product.

The logo will be displayed along with other products by The Emblem Source, the official licensee for Major League Baseball retail emblems, at an upcoming Sports Marketing Convention. If all goes according to plan and the logo is well received by merchandisers, the village could begin collecting royalties for its use.

``It’s another one of these ideas that will increase revenues and avoid tax increases,’’ Katz said.