Monster Cable still evil, will allow Monster Mini Golf to exist for just $100/month (per franchise)
By Nilay Patel 
posted December 15th 2008 5:59PM
posted December 15th 2008 5:59PM
Well, it looks like Monster's trying to rehab its image: the company's put up a site today called "Monster Mini Golf Truth" that apparently makes public a proposed settlement agreement between Monster Cable and Monster Mini Golf. As you'd expect from a company as ham-fisted and reflexively nasty as Monster Cable, it's basically another attempt to exert a death grip on the word "Monster." Monster Cable says it's dropping the lawsuit and that the mini golf people can still be called "Monster Mini Golf," but only if they pay a $100 / month license fee and agree that Monster Cable owns the mark outright. In turn, Monster Cable will donate $100 each month to two different charities, including one that gives Segways to disabled veterans. Sure, it sounds nice, but it's notable that Monster Cable is trying to settle this in public rather than in the conference room of a law firm -- Monster Mini Golf stands a fair shot of winning this one in court, and we'd bet they've already turned this offer down privately. We don't know how this one will end, but we do know you probably shouldn't have the CEO of your company saying things like "We're not some big corporate Mongols" in a video designed to sway public opinion. It's after the break, in case you were wondering why the ban on Monster still stands.
Update: As one astute reader's pointed out, Monster Cable is asking for $100 per month, per franchise. With twenty-two franchises, that adds up to $2,200 a month.
really? and Monster mini golf would agree to that? The fact that monster cable can even protect the word "monster" is a testament to how badly American copyright law needs to be changed.
If i were the owners of the club, i would have just sent a big "Fuck you" to monster cable by changing my name to something else, as opposed to paying the $100/mo license fee.
Changing the name wouldn't send a message to Monster at all, it'd just give them a sense of validity.
They should counter-sue.
Isn't easy to prove the word "monster" has been in use for daaaays?
Oh yeah Apple and Apple Records were in court and that apple word goes back a ways.
They both ripped off the fruit, then they act all protective like they invented it.
Yeah if I understood these laws I could do something silly like patent the wheel.
Yeah, I'd say "Fuck you" by changing the name of my company to "Monster Cable Mini Golf" just to stick it to them. I don't care if it doesn't make sense in regards to golfing, lol.
Monster Cable should seriously get stuffed. It isn't even like the mini golf place is affecting the company in the slightest.
What are they going to do next, sue the owners of 'monster trucks????
Wait, so Monster gets a huge concession (that Monster Cable owns the mark) from Monster Mini Golf and the promise to take $100 of Mini Golfs money and give it to charity.
It would make a little more sense if Monster Cable had agreed to take $1 from Mini Golf (and even that's probably not required to satisfy consideration of the contract) and then give $100 a month to charity.
It's different with apple computers and records as they now cover extremely similar practices, apple computers being the largest music retailer in the world, and apple records producing music.
With monster cable and mini golf it just doesn't make sense, unless monster cable plans on going into the mini golf world.
I am glad that this has come up... this way we are still talking about and covering Monster cable.
And about what a piece of $hit company they are. Let's keep the good coverage going!
I'm surprised they don't go after monster.com.
I'd just like to know how monster cable reasons when they think them giving 2x $100 a month to charity would score them bonus PR points with anyone. With the stupid prices they have on their wares, I'd think they could afford at least 2x $1000.
Two hundred bucks a month is almost an insult, they might as well not bother at all. At that rate, they'll donate a Segway for a vet in like 30 years worth of contributions...
The whole point of these lawsuits is to protect the brand name. They would be hard pressed to prove the trademark if they didn't defend it. This happens all the time and they aren't picking on the Golf place just to be the big corporate company taking money from others.
And no I don't work for monster and if I am incorrect please tell me as I am not a lawyer lol
@Rob: The whole point is you shouldn't be able to trademark arbitrary words like "monster". I guess at Halloween all costume manufacturers will have to pay royalities on their monster costumes?
You sure you don't work for Monster Cable?
my question why have thy not sued coca-cola over monster energy drink. or the radio show the monsters in the morning?
or monster.com
Mostly because Coca-Cola would kick their asses five ways come Sunday.
I was wondering the same thing. I think it's probably because Coca Cola has much much much deeper pockets and it's considered an American icon.
In the video he said that they had to "pick and choose" their litigation targets. I thought, "And that's why they're not suing Coca-Cola."
The M in the Monster Mini-Golf logo looks quite a bit like the Monster Energy Drink logo, actually - and nothing like the Monster Cable logo.
Derek +1
The Chicago Bears should sue Monster Cable for implied association to the "Monsters of the Midway".
Or Monster Garage.
Coca Cola should sue them, then we would never have to hear about this crappy company and its overpriced junk ever again.
In case you guys didn't already know, Monster Cable already sued Monster.com, the Chicago Bears (Monsters of the Midway), and Monster Energy Drink in the past, so this is nothing new for them.
or Dover Downs "The Monster Mile" :P
http://www.doverspeedway.com/graphics/fanzone/wallpapers/Monster_1024x768.jpg
Mostly, I think, because Coca Cola doesn't have anything to do with Monster Energy Drinks. It would be kind of pointless to sue Coca-Cola, when Hansen's Beverage Company makes Monster Energy. And Hansen's did at least get threatened with a lawsuit. The fact that I can't find anything meaningful on the Internet makes me think they settled out of court.
Sorry, but a company that sells $130 "super high speed" HDMI cables isn't worth the time for... anything. Let the company burn.
Let it burn don't post it on Engadget and now lets do the same thing to APPLE!!
Anyone up for a quick poll vote?
agreed, screw them, pieces of crap
monoprice ftw
...to be lowest ranked?
good.
And I though Apple was bad.....
Monster Cable: for all your overpriced A/V needs.
Anyone who has Monster Cable products is admitting they are technologically incapable.
I would say anyone who pays full price meets that criteria
I bought some 12ft USB cables from monster for 99 cents each... (Yay Woot) I still feel fully technologically capable.
But you probably bought it at some ridiculous sale or close out and not at full retail at Best Buy
I agree. I have a couple of their Stage 3 power-cleaners. Basically they just put big noise filters between a few banks of plugs. Sure, they're large and aren't as good as the Tripp-lite units, but at $23 each, I feel like I came out ahead. At $300 or whatever? Yes, I would have handed over my geek card and revoked my own root access.
@ kj - yeah, hence the blatant reference to woot..... now you're the one not on the same page as everyone......
"Profitize"
Yep.
I heard about this on NPR last weekend, made me so mad! I'd boycott them if I didn't do that years ago for their laughable prices.
Hey, there is a small chain of restaurants in NYC called Monster Sushi. They should go after that as well... then say it's all for charity to clear their good name. I hate stupid lawsuits. They are ruining our freedom (and killing all the fun)...
if monster sushi gets sued any time soon, i'm blaming you.
I hope they do sue monster sushi that place is gross. I got food poisoning there last year.
http://www.monoprice.com
Yep...
Amen! I love Monoprice. I once ordered an optical audio cable from there for 1.50 and paid 1.30 to ship it to Georgia from California. I had it 2 days later! That's
MonoPrice FTW!
What a corporate monster.
Don't use that. They will sue you.
They sued Godzilla, the want him to refer to himself as "radioactive defender of Tokio"
$100 a year or $100 a month?
Anyway, anybody that buys a monster cable is a idiot - especially for a digital signal (i.e. HDMI). How much longer can they keep selling $300 cables before people wise up?
As long as they keep partnering with companies like Best Buy to increase profit margins.
Rember the sad, sad truth: Most consumers best source of A/V information is the salesman at the brick & mortar store.
Do your part, educate your parents and friends! Send them all to monoprice.com
Their 'truth' site says $100/month
"Monster will still owns the trademarks granted by the trademark office for which we offer a license for the use of them to Monster Mini Golf for a minimal royalty of $100 per month per franchise."
why doesn't monster cable pick on someone there own size and try to sue monster.com? i'd like to see them try THAT one.
Would be even better for Monster.com to sue *them*. Then go celebrate the inevitable win at Monster Mini Golf place.
They sued monster.com years ago, and there was a settlement. I don't have a link, try to google it up.
Where is this world going?