WI : WWF "Smackdown" win over WWF "Panda" in 2000s Lawsuits

[Yuelang]

Or the reverse of what happened IOTL.

Yeah, in 2000, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) sue World Wrestling Federation Entertainment (WWF) over the use of WWF name over internet domain and merchandising Trademarks. In 2001, the court ruled in favor of World Wide Fund for Nature, despite World Wrestling Federation is arguably more iconic, and actually held far longer trademarks (despite World Wide Fund For Nature is founded earlier, they actually only held trademarks in 1990s).

Of course, the main reasons is the 1994 Agreement where Titan Sports had entered into an agreement with the World Wide Fund for Nature (also trademarked WWF), an environmental organization, regarding Titan's use of the "WWF" acronym, which both organizations had been using since at least March 1979. Under the agreement, Titan had agreed to cease using the written acronym "WWF" in connection with its wrestling promotion, and to minimize (though not eliminate) spoken uses of "WWF" on its broadcasts, particularly in scripted comments. In exchange, the environmental group (and its national affiliates) agreed to drop any pending litigation against Titan, and furthermore agreed not to challenge Titan's use of the full "World Wrestling Federation" name or the promotion's then-current logo.

But WHAT IF the court actually ruled over WWF Smackdown over the Panda, and ordered World Wide Fund for Nature to be the one changing their logo and hand over the WWF.org domain to the Wrestlers?

 

[ppaul16]

The World Wildlife Fund changes its name.

The WWF goes on being the WWF and most wrestling fans probably think "that's silly an animal organization tried to sue the WWF" and then forget about it.

 

[CarribeanViking]

I forget the cartoonist who came out with this at the time (John Kovalic?), but there was a golden opportunity missed for the two to reach a settlement by amalgamation; the Wildlife Wrestling Federation would have been something to see. And it probably would have raised more money for conservation and nature causes, at that.

 

[Yuelang]

The World Wildlife Fund changes its name.

The WWF goes on being the WWF and most wrestling fans probably think "that's silly an animal organization tried to sue the WWF" and then forget about it.

As IOTL WWF changed into WWE, what will this alt-timeline World Wildlife Fund changed their name into?

It would be funny if they also turned into WWE, aka World Wildlife Environmentalists, or something...

I forget the cartoonist who came out with this at the time (John Kovalic?), but there was a golden opportunity missed for the two to reach a settlement by amalgamation; the Wildlife Wrestling Federation would have been something to see. And it probably would have raised more money for conservation and nature causes, at that.

Sadly, smackdown involving Pandas and Lions would be considered as Animal Cruelty post 1990s...

 

[cra0422]

Biggest changes I see is WWF/E doesn't use the catchphrase "Get the 'F' out' in 2002, and they don't digitize out the old logos in matches from their video library.

 

[Emperor Norton I]

I forget the cartoonist who came out with this at the time (John Kovalic?), but there was a golden opportunity missed for the two to reach a settlement by amalgamation; the Wildlife Wrestling Federation would have been something to see. And it probably would have raised more money for conservation and nature causes, at that.

And Panda Monsoon comes out with the chair! Oh my goodness gracious!

"Poacher, you dun killed my family. Now I'm-a get my revenge."

 

[dilbert719]

As IOTL WWF changed into WWE, what will this alt-timeline World Wildlife Fund changed their name into?

The World Wide Fund for Nature, which is their official name everywhere except Canada and the US, and was, in fact, their legal name at the time WWE was forced to change theirs (which is why I've always thought it was dumb that WWE had to change, when the World Wildlife Fund already had a new acronym.)

They would almost certainly be WWFN, instead of WWF (as they are now).