The two will team up to allow fans to design, create and sell licensed works Star Trek fans are a very creative bunch. Over the years, dozens and dozens of items have been designed and created by fans for themselves and that they would sell to fellow Trekkies.
Since fandom discovered it, one of the popular places to create Star Trek merchandise has been CafePress.com, which has been a constant source of aggravation for both the fans and for CBS. As fast as fans would create something and get it on the CafePress site, CBS would be there to ask for it to be removed due to copyright violations.
Some fans would get upset, seeing CBS as the absolute villain, an obstacle to creativity, a restricter of free speech, and other assorted “crimes” against the fandom world. However, the vast majority of fans understand what this writer does, that CBS does own the intellectual rights to the Trek universe and has the right -- and the obligation -- to protect its rights. As a writer, I can absolutely understand and support CBS' stand in the matter.
However, after years of this constant up and down of merchandise on and off the site, and frustration levels for all parities, CBS and CafePress have announced a deal where fans can create their own Star Trek designs, and legally sell them on items made by CafePress. The only catch in the deal is that the designs must follow certain rules established by the two companies, and must be approved before they are released to the public.
Fans create their designs and set up the items they want it to appear on. Then the design must be approved by the companies, which usually occurs within 72 hours. One restriction is that no copyrighted names, photos, logos and the like can be used, nor can they be combined with messages related to drugs, politics or anything offensive.
There already are a bunch of items on the site for sale. A couple of my personal favorites are the “Team Red Shirt” and the “Kobayashi Maru Passed” T-shirts.
So fans, here is your chance. Get your designs ready and take them to CafePress.com and, once approved, start selling your own, officially approved, Star Trek merchandise.
Well Evil- Q will you buy one for those Bears for the lovely lady??? She like the Borg,Have assimilated you already.
Well it's must be good.Keep it up, ( If you can !!!!
: )
