Twitter Users Respond to Trademark Attack on National Park Landmarks

A company that insists it owns the right to the name of one of the most popular U.S. National Parks and multiple landmarks within it is coming under fire on Twitter after park officials announced it would be changing names to appease the concessionaire.

Delaware North, which operates lodging and food services at parks, sporting facilities, and airports around the world, claims that it owns the rights to iconic names in the park where it had operated concessions since 1993, and which it must turn over to a rival on March 1 of this year.

As we reported in September 2015 and again today, Delaware North lost its contract to operate in Yosemite National Park to rival Aramark. It is now insisting on $51 million in licensing fees from the Parks system to continue using the name. The names in dispute preceded Delaware North’s assumption of property management in 1993.

The company is also claiming rights to the name “Yosemite National Park.”

Twitter Speaks Out

The last 24 hours have been a bit of a challenge for Delaware North on Twitter. A search through the last 18 hours of Twitter responses to “yosemite trademark” and variations of “delaware north” reveal no support for the company, as well as descriptive terms for the company not suitable for print. Delaware North has not commented on the dispute via Twitter, although it maintains an active presence on the platform.

The complaints fall into a five basic categories, none of which are complimentary to the company.

Delaware North is a “trademark troll”

https://twitter.com/BoingBoing/status/688029729992110080

https://twitter.com/DianaMarcum/status/687766445455876096

https://twitter.com/xeni/status/688079787953356800

Delaware North is greedy

This level of #corporategreed is astounding. Tell @delawarenorth to let @YosemiteNPS keep their iconic names! https://t.co/YQNefwUC6L

— Sierra Club (@SierraClub) January 15, 2016

Delaware North is evil

Delaware North is pure evil: No longer the Ahwahnee: new names for Yosemite landmark sites https://t.co/gLv351N8EJ via @sfchronicle

— Ann Killion (@annkillion) January 15, 2016

Delaware North is worthy of a boycott

Fresno Bee readers are suggesting boycott of @DelawareNorth properties after #Yosemite name-changing fiasco: https://t.co/ff7TxEudL4

— Fresno Bee (@FresnoBee) January 15, 2016

Yosemite fans, unite in protest: Ahwahnee Hotel to change name to Yosemite Majestic in trademark dispute @gtherolf https://t.co/vnvdnlQQ1X

— Julie Makinen (@Julie_Makinen) January 15, 2016

And perhaps the cruelest: Delaware North is Martin Shkreli

https://twitter.com/rwongphoto/status/687840682824732672

@TrailMob @delawarenorth isn't quite on par with the Pharma Bro Martin #Shkreli, but I think they're in the same vein of douchebaggery.

— Jessi Strong (@JessiStronger) January 15, 2016

We’ve reached out to Delaware North for comment.