In a surprising legal setback, the storied Oakland Athletics baseball franchise has been denied the right to trademark its intended new name ahead of its controversial relocation to Las Vegas. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has officially refused applications for both 'Las Vegas Athletics' and 'Vegas Athletics', casting a shadow over the team's branding future.
The Core of the Trademark Dispute
According to a report from Front Office Sports, the USPTO issued the refusals on December 29. Prominent trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who highlighted the case, explained the reasoning. The office deemed the term 'athletics' too generic, describing it as an everyday word for physical activity and too vague for a single entity to claim exclusive rights. This is despite the fact that the league successfully secured trademarks for Philadelphia Athletics, Kansas City Athletics, and Oakland Athletics in the past, as well as for the team's distinctive script logo.
A Literal Interpretation Creates a Roadblock
Gerben indicated that the primary hurdle is the club's lack of established presence in Nevada. The Athletics have not yet played a game in Las Vegas, even though construction on their future stadium is underway and their Triple-A affiliate already plays in the area. The examiner's literal interpretation, as Gerben told FOS, centres on concern that granting the trademark could inadvertently impact youth or amateur sports associations in Las Vegas, potentially putting them in violation.
"The USPTO is basically saying 'if we give the team unfettered rights, then any youth or amateur athletics association in Las Vegas could suddenly be in violation of the trademark,'" Gerben stated. "It’s a weird result." The Major League Baseball team is currently playing interim home games in Sacramento, California, without adopting that city's name.
Future Appeal and Continued Fan Unrest
While the initial application was rejected, the path is not entirely closed. The report notes that MLB handles trademark applications for all its teams, and the Athletics could still pursue approval by appealing to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board or even taking the matter to federal court. The team's first game in its new Las Vegas ballpark is not anticipated until 2028.
This trademark issue adds another layer to what has been a deeply contentious relocation process. The A's decision to depart Oakland for Vegas, via a temporary stop in Sacramento, has sparked prolonged and passionate protests from fans in the Bay Area desperate to keep their century-old franchise.
