Oakland teen says A's agree to stop using logo on shirts

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Thursday, January 8, 2015
Two shirts with the word Stoaked
An Oakland teenager is accusing the Oakland Athletics of stealing his brand.
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OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Executives with the Oakland A's say the team will stop sales of T-shirts featuring the same logo created by an Oakland teen.

Sixteen-year-old Ryan Frigo started his brand stOAKed two years ago. He emblazoned shirts, hoodies, and hats with the word.

He noticed the A's merchandise on the Major League Baseball website just a few weeks ago. The team's T-shirts also said "stOAKed."

"I was completely shocked and angry," Frigo said Tuesday via Skype. "They injured my brand because my brand is about promoting and uplifting Oakland and they used it merely for baseball."

Frigo talked to lawyers about his options, but admits he did not trademark "stOAKed".

The A's say the T-shirts' manufacturer found the trademark for "stOAKaked" had been abandoned, so it made the shirts. In a gesture of goodwill, the team says it will stop selling them.