The Utah Hockey Club is on a mission to find a new name, but it’s facing a crowded marketplace with trademarked brands. The team relocated from Arizona in April and began submitting trademark applications for names like Blizzard, Outlaws, Mammoth, and Venom. However, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected most of these applications due to “likelihood of confusion” or administrative issues.
The team’s initial submissions were met with rejections because other brands had already claimed the trademarks. The Yeti cooler company took exception to the name, citing a unique and strong trademark. The Colorado Mammoth lacrosse team also owns the Mammoth trademark, but its application was deemed administratively unsound.
With fan input, the Utah Hockey Club is now considering the Mammoth, Outlaws, or sticking with the generic name. However, trademark experts warn that finding a suitable name can be challenging due to the crowded marketplace and desire for resonance with local preferences.
In 2020, the Washington D.C. N.F.L. team took 18 months to find a new name after retiring its previous one. The Seattle Kraken faced a lawsuit in 2023 over trademark infringement, while the Cleveland Guardians settled a similar dispute with a roller derby club in 2021. The Utah Hockey Club’s experience highlights the difficulties of securing workable names as sports franchises navigate the increasingly crowded trademark registry.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/sports/nhl-utah-hockey-club-yeti.html