Colts, Texas A&M reach settlement regarding "12th Man" trademark

Back in November, Texas A&M sued the Indianapolis Colts regarding the use of the "12th Man," which is trademarked by A&M.  According to the Associated Press, the two sides reached a settlement agreement on Wednesday.

Texas A&M said that the lawsuit "has been settled amicably and with good will," though both sides declined to offer any details on the terms of the settlement.  This isn't uncharted territory, as the Seattle Seahawks were previously sued by A&M over use of the trademark and though the terms of that settlement weren't released either, the Seahawks agreed to pay an undisclosed fee to continue use of the trademark.  It wouldn't be a surprise if that's what the Colts have agreed to do now as well.

It's unclear whether the Colts will continue to use the "12th Man," though it is pretty ingrained in their appeal to fans.  The "12th Man" is actually in the team's Ring of Honor, while promotional materials and things like that also feature the name prominently.  It's likely (again, without knowing details) that the Colts will continue to be able to use the trademark while paying Texas A&M a fee to do so.  Or, the team could opt to go the route the Seahawks have been moving toward and go away from the "12th Man."  Now, Seattle uses "12s" instead of "12th Man."  Either way, the lawsuit has been settled and it seems the two sides are on good terms.

UPDATE: According to the Indianapolis Star's Mark Alesia, the terms of the settlement require the Colts to stop their use of the "12th Man" immediately.  Furthermore, the Colts have until August 15 to remove the "12th Man" from their Ring of Honor.