Dark Days for NBC/Universal and/or Fox?

I just found this out but Universal Studios Licensing is taking legal action against the very fans that it asked to help promote Serenity. Universal just started selling their own officially licensed Firefly t-shirts so now they want the fans to quit selling theirs. Fair but they had months to get off their asses and create this stuff for the fans. Now when the thrill is gone and the fans most likely aren't buying much of the stuff, this is when they choose to bring out the big guns.

I can hear the meeting now...

"I know! The fans are making too much money off of our "property". I think they are out there buying houses and BMWs. We can't have that. Let's sue the only people who give a crap about our movie and TV show. They've already created the market for us. A lawsuit will be promotion for our new merchandise. We can also make our merchandise look just like the fan merchandise. They've done all of the work for us. It's a win-win."

If they are bringing legal action to Serenity/Firefly fans for making fan related goods, why aren't they so protective of another hot properties like Project Runway? That show has TONS of fan created merchandise and I like it all. These folks have put pictures of the characters and lines from the show on the shirt. It's similar to what 'verse fans do with Wash and "I'm a leaf in the wind." Why do some shows get the light treatment and a cult show like Serenity/Firefly get the iron fist?

I hope that they drop the charges. No one should be penalized for being a fan of a TV show. It's sad because I LIKE NBC/Universal. They have been involved in a lot of great shows lately.

C'mon folks, don't be that greedy. A cease and desist letter or even an official announcement would have been sufficient.