Imagine a baseball team trying to claim exclusive rights to the word 'Athletics' in Las Vegas. Sounds like a home run, right? But here's where it gets controversial...
The Oakland A’s, soon-to-be Las Vegas residents, hit a snag in their rebranding efforts when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) denied their trademarks for 'Las Vegas Athletics' and 'Vegas Athletics' in a non-final office action dated December 29, 2026. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben broke the news on X, explaining that the USPTO’s decision hinges on a technicality: the term 'Athletics' is considered too generic for exclusive use in the sports world. Think about it—what if a local youth sports organization wanted to call itself the 'Las Vegas Athletics Sports Association'? The USPTO argues that granting a monopoly on such a common term could unfairly limit others.
And this is the part most people miss... Major League Baseball (MLB), which manages trademarks for all 30 teams, has six months to respond—with a potential 90-day extension—and will likely fight to protect the A’s rights, as they’ve done successfully in the past. Gerben reassures that this is likely a temporary hurdle, noting that the team isn’t heavily marketing itself under these specific names yet. Instead, they’re focusing on their broader identity as the 'A’s' or 'Athletics,' avoiding city-specific branding due to their current nomadic phase.
Currently playing in Sacramento while their new Las Vegas ballpark is under construction (slated for a 2028 Opening Day), the A’s haven’t adopted the 'Sacramento Athletics' moniker during their stay at Sutter Health Park. Interestingly, their jersey patch sponsor is the Las Vegas Tourism Authority, subtly tying them to their future home. Gerben suggests a strategic move: ramp up marketing as the 'Vegas Athletics' or 'Las Vegas Athletics' before the USPTO response deadline. By flooding the market with merchandise and promotions, the team could demonstrate that these names have acquired distinctiveness, proving to the USPTO that fans associate them specifically with the MLB franchise.
But here’s the bold question: Should a team be able to trademark a term as generic as 'Athletics'? Or does the USPTO have a point in protecting the term for broader use? Let’s spark a debate—share your thoughts in the comments below!
