# Franchises overlapping..and concerns **URL:** \ **Category:** Franchises\ **Created:** [May 5, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037 "2011-05-05T00:49:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cowbybill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/1 "2011-05-05T00:49:52Z")
Hi Guys, As one of the points of contact for the Bay Area Ghostbusters, I recieved word there is another franchise in the area. While I think this is great and the more the merrier, what concerns me is this group charges an appearance fee to show up. They make no mention if the payment they recieve goes to a charity or not, but they do give you a free jacket as part of showing up. If this is the case the Bay Area guys are going to be keeping quite a distance from them as we do not charge to show up to an event we ask that a donation be made to a charity in our name. This group calls itself the East Bay Ghostbusters. Has anyone had any dealings with them and if so what were you’re impressions? We met them breifly at Wondercon but it seemed as is they were more interested in selling us merchandise than anything else (they did not have a booth). Anyways what are your thoughts of a group charging for appearances? We are going to stand by our rule of asking for a donation be made in our name to a charity. Thanks for any input. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/2 "2011-05-05T00:52:02Z")
> [@cowbybill](#): > > Anyways what are your thoughts of a group charging for appearances That it’s entirely stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_SAMerica](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Captain\_SAMerica](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Captain_SAMerica)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/3 "2011-05-05T01:12:44Z")
Don’t know if they are an official franchise, have seen them selling stuff on ebay though… [http://www.dnrphoto.com/gb/](http://www.dnrphoto.com/gb/) ---
**Author:** ![Ketchum](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@Ketchum](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Ketchum)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/4 "2011-05-05T01:13:10Z")
Not only stupid. But sony would have kittens then you’d ruin it for the rest of us. ---
**Author:** ![cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cowbybill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/5 "2011-05-05T01:14:09Z")
What I really worry about is our group getting hit with some legal stuff from Sony claiming we’re making money off the Ghostbusters licence. While we’re still a new group our members are really trying to do some good for the community and I’d hate to see it ■■■■■■ away becuase of some ■■■■ like this. Rest assured we will not be contacting Sony or pulling any douchey stuff like that. We just don’t want to be known as the group who profits from Ghostbusters. ---
**Author:** ![cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cowbybill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/6 "2011-05-05T01:15:50Z")
Hey Sam send me that logo on the bottom of your posts I want to switch mine to that! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/7 "2011-05-05T01:20:03Z")
> [@Captain SAMerica](#): > > Don’t know if they are an official franchise, have seen them selling stuff on ebay though… > > [http://www.dnrphoto.com/gb/](http://www.dnrphoto.com/gb/) “Rare Ghostbusters badge” using a photo of HawaiianGBs badge, eh? Sounds like a big tool to me. You can get those badges made for $70 at most. He’s profiting entirely on this community, Sony’s going to have a field day with this. ---
**Author:** ![cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cowbybill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/8 "2011-05-05T01:21:54Z")
I thought that photo looked familar!! ---
**Author:** ![Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/8c91f0/32.png) [@Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Vincenzo330)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/9 "2011-05-05T01:27:51Z")
This sounds like REALLY bad news. The question is, how do we stop them before they ruin it for everyone and how do we do it discreetly without bringing undue attention to those who do operate respectfully of Sony? ---
**Author:** ![cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cowbybill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/10 "2011-05-05T01:33:56Z")
Pipebomb? (KIDDING!) I really have no idea, I’m open to ideas from you vetrans though. Ideally it would be nice if they just stopped charging for appearances and raised money for various charities 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ProtonCharger](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@ProtonCharger](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/ProtonCharger)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/11 "2011-05-05T01:51:47Z")
you can tell them what they’re doing has caught up to two groups in florida who were notified by sony to stop making personal profits from sony intellectual property. charity work is almost as bad, but it would be stupid for sony to chase down money earned at a charity event using their copyrighted properties. could you imagine the uproar sony would get if they went after an event that was raising money for breast cancer? ---
**Author:** ![Chace](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/chace/32/156_2.png) [@Chace](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Chace)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/12 "2011-05-05T02:20:11Z")
Oh C’mon, you expect me to believe for one minute that Vince doesn’t know people that can make people disappear? ---
**Author:** ![Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/8c91f0/32.png) [@Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Vincenzo330)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/13 "2011-05-05T02:35:11Z")
I told you Chace, my family works in construction and sanitation and THAT’S ALL. ---
**Author:** ![cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cowbybill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/14 "2011-05-05T02:40:37Z")
> [@ProtonCharger](#): > > you can tell them what they’re doing has caught up to two groups in florida who were notified by sony to stop making personal profits from sony intellectual property. > > charity work is almost as bad, but it would be stupid for sony to chase down money earned at a charity event using their copyrighted properties. could you imagine the uproar sony would get if they went after an event that was raising money for breast cancer? Thanks! That sounds like the most reasonable course of action. ---
**Author:** ![Chace](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/chace/32/156_2.png) [@Chace](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Chace)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/15 "2011-05-05T03:10:12Z")
> [@ProtonCharger](#): > > could you imagine the uproar sony would get if they went after an event that was raising money for breast cancer? I can see it now… [bumper](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/bumper) stickers and t-shirts that say “Sony hates ■■■■■■■” ---
**Author:** ![Boomerjinks](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/boomerjinks/32/128_2.png) [@Boomerjinks](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Boomerjinks)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/16 "2011-05-05T03:25:21Z")
Why’s it always gotta be about charity? ---
**Author:** ![Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/8c91f0/32.png) [@Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Vincenzo330)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/17 "2011-05-05T13:40:05Z")
> [@Boomerjinks](#): > > Why’s it always gotta be about charity? +1 ---
**Author:** ![td9993](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/td9993/32/312_2.png) [@td9993](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/td9993)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/18 "2011-05-05T14:32:10Z")
Enough about that! He’s selling a Superman 900 that hasn’t been read or TOUCHED! Never touched! HAUNTED I TELL YOU! HAUNTED!!! ---
**Author:** ![cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@cowbybill](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cowbybill)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/19 "2011-05-05T15:31:40Z")
It doesn’t always have to be about non profit work, it’s just what our group chooses to do. They are charging appearance fees and personally profiting from the Ghostbusters trademark. This is what concerns me I don’t want our group to be caught up in some legal stuff with Sony beacause of the doings of another franchise located in such close proximity to our own. If thier Franchise was all about just going to car shows, partying , going to cons in uniform, or whatever I wouldn’t be concerned. Hell I would encourage it! ---
**Author:** ![Boomerjinks](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/boomerjinks/32/128_2.png) [@Boomerjinks](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Boomerjinks)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037/20 "2011-05-05T15:35:01Z")
I wouldn’t be terribly concerned about it. If they are conducting themselves in a manner that earns the ire of Sony, Sony will let them know. You shouldn’t be worried about getting confused with them, legal departments only send CnDs to individuals actually violating rights, not the imaginary offices of imaginary ghost hunting franchises. [Next page](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/franchises-overlapping-and-concerns/27037.md?page=2)