Group asks NRPA members to Sunset Midnight Basketball

Parks & Recreation, Oct, 2005

The Association of Midnight Basketball League Programs, Inc., (AMBLP) contacted NRPA headquarters in early August asking our members to cease and desist on all uses of the term, "midnight basketball." The term had been trademarked by the non-profit organization since 1992, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

AMBLP's law firm, the Burrell Law Office, has sent letters to park and recreation departments around the country, implying that AMBLP is developing a partnership with NRPA. According to NRPA Executive Director John Thorner, "There are no plans for a partnership."

AMBLP was formed in 2004 as a blanket organization to oversee nationwide chapters of its basketball programs. These programs use basketball as a tool to decrease the crime rate in cities by attracting youth, ages 17-25, to indoor basketball leagues. Once inside, participants are educated about health, employment and education opportunities, case management, cultural enrichment and, of course, recreation. In order to protect the group's programming and agenda, it trademarked its logo and phrase, "midnight basketball." "We do not want recreation and park to stop doing the great job they have been doing, we want them to join us and implement our program the way it is designed," wrote AMBLP CEO and President Lawrence C Gray, Jr.

NRPA legal counsel James C. Kozlowski suggests NRPA members to use an alternative phrase, which would more closely associate with their programs. For example, the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department developed the Mayor's Night Hoops program, which aims to decrease youth crime prevention through late-night recreation and education. "The use of the term 'midnight basketball' by local parks and recreation agencies would be like their using the term 'little league' to refer to their sandlot baseball leagues," Kozlowski said. "Clearly, this would cause confusion and leave the reasonable observer to think that a local park and rec league would be endorsed by Little League, Inc., when in fact it isn't."

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