Key Takeaways

  • Sports trademarks protect the unique branding elements of athletes, teams, and leagues—including names, logos, slogans, mascots, and colors.
  • Trademarks in sports preserve authenticity, prevent counterfeit merchandise, and safeguard the commercial value of endorsements and sponsorships.
  • Common disputes include unauthorized merchandise sales, parody use, and conflicts between athletes’ personal marks and team intellectual property.
  • Athletes and organizations can strengthen their protection by registering marks federally, enforcing them actively, and using licensing agreements to control brand use.
  • Trademarks play a key role in sports marketing, merchandising, and global broadcasting, often extending far beyond the playing field.

Sport trademarks are valuable assets that can build confidence, trust, and loyalty to a product. Trademarks let customers recognize the products of a particular business, and they're an essential part of branding. Strong branding can increase prices, customer loyalty, revenue, and growth. They're central to many business transactions, especially sports sponsorship deals and product merchandising, and they can be colors, shapes, sounds, or even smells. For example, Nike's swoosh symbol or Adidas's three stripes make merchandise like shoes, shirts, and jackets more valuable because they guarantee quality. Keep reading for more information about sports trademarks.

The Benefits of Trademarks

Displaying trademarks in prominent places at sporting events can increase sales by appealing to fans of the team. A sport trademark can also be a symbol of a lifestyle or behavior. Sponsoring a prestigious sporting event like the Olympic Games can link your company or product to the sport, the event, and even the athletes who compete in it. Intellectual property rights also let sports celebrities, teams, organizations, and manufacturers protect themselves from abusive and unauthorized uses of their names. Sporting event organizers protect their sport trademarks by:

  • Maintaining the value and integrity of the event
  • Maximizing revenue from sponsorship, licensing, and merchandising agreements
  • Inspiring confidence among consumers about the authenticity and quality of a brand

Many sports stars generate significant earnings from their own brands as elite athletes and from sponsorship deals with other brands. In most countries, trademarks are added to a national trademark register for extra protection.

How Sports Organizations Protect Their Trademarks

Professional sports organizations and governing bodies dedicate significant resources to protecting their sports trademarks through registration, licensing, and enforcement. Leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and FIFA own a wide portfolio of marks that include team names, logos, mascots, and event titles. These marks are used across merchandise, media broadcasts, and promotional campaigns, and unauthorized use can lead to substantial financial loss.

To maintain brand integrity, these organizations:

  • Register marks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and international equivalents to secure exclusive rights.
  • Monitor unauthorized use, including counterfeit jerseys, unlicensed sports memorabilia, and event piracy.
  • Issue cease and desist letters or pursue litigation against infringers to deter unauthorized sales or deceptive sponsorships.
  • Establish brand licensing divisions that manage partnerships with authorized manufacturers and sponsors.

The commercialization of sports trademarks is a global business. For example, Olympic symbols and World Cup emblems are licensed only under strict guidelines, ensuring that every use aligns with the brand’s reputation and values.

Common Trademark Disputes in Sports

Trademark disputes in sports often involve issues of unauthorized merchandising, parody, or overlapping rights between teams and individual athletes. Counterfeit merchandise—such as unlicensed jerseys or event souvenirs—represents one of the most widespread violations. Teams and leagues frequently file lawsuits or coordinate with customs agencies to intercept counterfeit goods before they reach the market.

Another source of contention occurs when athletes seek to trademark their personal names, nicknames, or catchphrases, which may conflict with existing team marks. For instance, disputes can arise over who owns rights to slogans created during an athlete’s tenure with a franchise. Similarly, college athletes engaging in name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals must ensure their personal trademarks don’t infringe upon school or conference IP.

Parody and fan art can also create gray areas in enforcement. While some limited parody may be protected as free speech, commercial use of a team’s logo or likeness without authorization can lead to legal challenges under the Lanham Act.

Some Examples of Sport Trademarks 

When a quote from a news conference or a postgame interview becomes popular among fans or when an athlete thinks it could be valuable in the future, it's registered as a trademark. Some athletes trademark their names, and the USPTO or United States Patent and Trademark Office usually rules against others using terms that include a person's name or image, even if another entity registered for a trademark before the athlete. To trademark any phrase, a registrant must show that it can be used in commerce to identify his or her brand or team.

Urban Meyer, a high-profile Ohio State coach, has pursued legal protection of his name and image. However, Ohio State secured limited rights from Meyer to use his name, voice, image, and likeness in connection for some endeavors. Meyer can still use his likeness to help charities or to pursue business opportunities that don't conflict with Ohio State's business interests.

Tim Tebow trademarked "Tebowing," Jeremy Lin trademarked "Linsanity," and Manny Ramirez trademarked "Manny Being Manny." In 1988, when he was coaching the Los Angeles Lakers, Pat Riley applied for a trademark on the term "three-peat" and received about $300,000 in royalties when the Chicago Bulls got a three-peat. Jared Allen has a trademark on "Got Strange?" and his signature camouflage hunting and rodeo apparel were listed as protected merchandise on the application. In 2012, Robert Griffin III, a player for the Washington Redskins, filed for seven trademarks:

  • "RGIII"
  • "RG3"
  • "Robert Griffin III"
  • "Unbelievably Believable"
  • "Go Catch Your Dream"
  • "Light You Up"
  • "Work Hard Stay Humble"
  • "No Pressure No Diamonds"
  • "Dream Big Live Bigger"

In 2012, a reporter asked Bryce Harper what kind of beer he usually celebrated with after a game. The Washington Nationals outfielder replied with, "That's a clown question, bro," and the simple phrase started trending on Twitter. It was so popular that Harper filed for a trademark the next day. Roger Mayweather, a trainer and former boxer, applied for a trademark for "Black Mamba" in 2014 because it's been used as his nickname for years.

Rod Smart played in the Canadian Football League, the NFL, and the XFL. During his time in the XFL with the Las Vegas Outlaws, he used the nickname "He Hate Me." He put it on the back of his jersey and eventually had it trademarked. Terrell Owens trademarked the phrase, "I love me some me," and the application listed cups, restaurants, and clothing as intended uses.

Trademarking your phrase, slogan, nickname, signature, pose, or logo keeps other companies or individuals from making a profit from it and increases your intellectual property rights.

Licensing and Merchandising of Sports Trademarks

Licensing is one of the most profitable aspects of sports trademarks. Through official licensing agreements, teams and athletes allow manufacturers to produce branded goods—such as jerseys, hats, and memorabilia—in exchange for royalties. This creates a consistent consumer experience and ensures that products meet quality standards.

Licensing agreements typically define:

  • Scope of use (which marks can be used and on what products)
  • Territory of sale (domestic vs. international markets)
  • Duration of the license
  • Royalty structure and quality control provisions

For example, major sports leagues partner with apparel companies like Nike and Adidas to produce official uniforms and merchandise. Unauthorized sellers who replicate logos or brand names for profit may be subject to infringement suits and statutory damages. These agreements also extend to digital media—such as esports branding, NFT collectibles, and virtual jerseys—expanding the commercial potential of sports trademarks.

The Role of Trademarks in Athlete Branding

Athletes increasingly treat their names and likenesses as commercial assets. Registering personal sports trademarks enables them to build individual brands for endorsements, fashion lines, and charitable foundations. Trademarking names, poses, or slogans (like “Tebowing” or “Linsanity”) allows athletes to prevent others from profiting off their identity.

In recent years, the rise of NIL rights in college athletics has made trademark protection even more critical. Collegiate athletes can now register personal marks to secure sponsorships and monetize their image while still in school. Trademarking their names or catchphrases helps ensure consistent branding across platforms and prevents unauthorized uses that could harm their reputation.

Athletes often expand their trademarks into broader ventures—such as fitness programs, clothing brands, or entertainment partnerships—turning their on-field fame into long-term business value.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are sports trademarks?
    Sports trademarks are legal protections for logos, names, slogans, and symbols associated with athletes, teams, or sports organizations. They help prevent unauthorized use and preserve brand value.
  2. Why are sports trademarks important?
    They safeguard revenue from merchandise, sponsorships, and media licensing while protecting the reputation and authenticity of teams and athletes.
  3. Can an athlete trademark their name or nickname?
    Yes. Many athletes register trademarks for their names, nicknames, or signature phrases to prevent others from profiting from their fame without permission.
  4. What happens if someone sells unlicensed sports merchandise?
    Selling counterfeit or unlicensed goods is trademark infringement. Teams or leagues can pursue legal action and request damages or injunctions.
  5. How do I register a sports trademark?
    File an application with the USPTO that includes the mark, the goods or services it will represent, and a specimen of commercial use. Consulting an experienced trademark attorney can streamline this process.

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