User:The C of E/WWF

World Wide Fund for Nature v World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc. [2002] EWHC Ch 482 is an English contract law case. It was heard by the Court of Appeal and regarding Article 81 of the Treaty of Rome and if contracts could be rendered void if there was a breach.

History
The World Wide Fund for Nature (the Fund) had been using the WWF initials since it's foundation. The World Wrestling Federation (the Federation) later adopted the initials after being renamed from World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1979. In 1993, the Federation (then known as Titan Sports) applied for a federal trademark in the United States. The Fund objected to this and requested that the Federation not use the WWF initials in the Times New Roman font. The Federation replied to this agreeing not to use it in that font providing that the Fund did not object to the registration of the trademark In the United States. The Fund's main office in Switzerland later brought a Swiss case against the Federation for using the initials but the Fund reached an agreement with the Federation in Switzerland that the Fund would not object to the registration worldwide providing the Federation limited it's use of the WWF initials. The agreement was signed in 1994 and determined that the agreement was subject to English law. In later years, the Federation started The Attitude Era of professional wrestling, including more violent and sexual content. The Fund viewed this as unsavoury and filed an injunction against the Federation for breaching the 1994 agreement regarding the use of the WWF initials.

Aftermath
After the case, a spokesman for the Fund stated “It’s been the wrestlers against a cute little panda bear. And the panda won.” The Federation in response renamed themselves World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and dropped the use of the WWF initials. They also ran a campaign on television called "Get The "F" Out" as a tongue in cheek reference to the change of name. WWE then announced that they would be appealing the decision to the House of Lords, but later dropped plans to challenge the ruling.