John Vella
Encyclopedia
John Vella is a former offensive tackle who played for the Oakland Raiders
of the National Football League
between 1972 and 1979.
, was spent with the Minnesota Vikings
. Vella was part of the Super Bowl XI
championship team.
at the University of Southern California
and was All-America
in 1971.
. At the time, the Raiders played in Los Angeles. The idea was for a retail store that sold only Raiders gear, novelties and collectibles, and catered to the die-hard fan that he remembered from his playing days. He quickly realized he had found a niche, and when the Raiders returned to Oakland in 1995
, his business boomed.
However, in 2001, the Raiders opened their own official team merchandise store, called "The Raider Image". In February 2003, the team filed a lawsuit against Vella's business, claiming trademark infringement
and the selling of unlicensed merchandise. The Raiders also took legal action against Vella to prevent him using the team's name and its logo
image on his stores and advertising. Both parties settled and Vella renamed his store to Vella's Locker Room.
After a few tough years, John Vella was forced to close shop.
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
between 1972 and 1979.
Professional career
His final year in the league, 19801980 Minnesota Vikings season
1980 was the 20th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 61st regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses.-Hail Mary:...
, was spent with the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. Vella was part of the Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season...
championship team.
College career
Vella played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and was All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
in 1971.
High school career
He prepped at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California.Business
In 1987, Vella started his business, originally called "John Vella's Raider Locker Room", with one store in Castro Valley, CaliforniaCastro Valley, California
Castro Valley is a census-designated place in Alameda County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, it is the fifth most populous unincorporated area in California, and the twenty-third in the United States...
. At the time, the Raiders played in Los Angeles. The idea was for a retail store that sold only Raiders gear, novelties and collectibles, and catered to the die-hard fan that he remembered from his playing days. He quickly realized he had found a niche, and when the Raiders returned to Oakland in 1995
1995 Oakland Raiders season
The 1995 Oakland Raiders season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record from 1994. The 1995 season was the team's return to Oakland after being in Los Angeles for thirteen years.-Schedule:-Standings:...
, his business boomed.
However, in 2001, the Raiders opened their own official team merchandise store, called "The Raider Image". In February 2003, the team filed a lawsuit against Vella's business, claiming trademark infringement
Trademark infringement
Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attaching to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees...
and the selling of unlicensed merchandise. The Raiders also took legal action against Vella to prevent him using the team's name and its logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
image on his stores and advertising. Both parties settled and Vella renamed his store to Vella's Locker Room.
After a few tough years, John Vella was forced to close shop.