Overview
- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office refused registration of "Las Vegas Athletics" and "Vegas Athletics" on January 6, finding the marks ineligible for the Principal Register.
- The examining attorney said "athletics" describes the purpose and features of the team’s goods and services, making the applications primarily descriptive of a Las Vegas sports team.
- The franchise cited decades of using the name in an effort to show distinctiveness, but the office maintained the term does not function as a unique source identifier.
- Attorney Josh Gerben noted prior registrations, such as "Oakland Athletics," do not guarantee approval for new marks and said he believes the team can ultimately secure rights.
- The ruling introduces uncertainty for branding and merchandising as the A’s explore legal options while playing in Sacramento and targeting a 2028 opening for their Las Vegas stadium.