Fanatics Beats NHL Memorabilia Copyright Suit Over Crystal Pucks

Sports collectibles company Fanatics Inc. won’t face copyright infringement claims over its sale of crystal hockey pucks filled with defrosted game rink ice because the copyright holder failed to show that object is substantially similar to his own creation, a federal court in Philadelphia ruled.

Plaintiff William Grondin asserts that he holds a copyright for “Slice of the Ice,” a piece of memorabilia comprised of a Lucite sculpture in the shape of the Stanley Cup, with a puck-shaped piece in the center filled with melted ice gathered from hockey matches.

Grondin alleged that Fanatics infringed his copyright by creating ...