Overview
- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 29 issued non-final office actions refusing the A’s applications to register “Las Vegas Athletics” and “Vegas Athletics.”
- Examining attorney findings label the marks primarily geographically descriptive and say the word “Athletics” is generic for the listed goods and services, with prior registrations not proving acquired distinctiveness.
- MLB, which handles team trademarks, says it will respond within the allowed window, with options to submit evidence, seek extensions up to six months, refile, or appeal.
- A separate “Las Vegas A’s” application was published Dec. 10 and is slated to register Jan. 16 barring opposition, according to USPTO records cited by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- The refusal does not affect the relocation or ballpark timeline as the club plays temporarily in West Sacramento and targets a 2028 Las Vegas opening, though it complicates near-term brand protection and merchandising tied to the new city name.