Utah Hockey Club’s Trademark Troubles: Are the Yetis Out of the Picture?

As the Utah Hockey Club gears up for a new season, it's faced some serious hurdles in trademarking its prospective team names. The team is currently weighing options including the fan-favorite "Yeti" along with other contenders such as Blizzard, Outlaws, Mammoth, Venom, and HC.

However, the club recently encountered a setback as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued non-final refusals for all six proposed names. The team has a three-month window to address the concerns raised and move forward with its trademark applications.

“We are committed to finalizing a permanent team identity before the start of the 2025-26 NHL season,” stated Chris Armstrong, the team's president. He emphasized that community involvement would play a crucial role in the naming process as they strive to overcome trademark challenges.

The USPTO cited "likelihood of confusion" with existing trademarks as a key reason for the refusals. For instance, the "Yeti" name conflicts with the well-known Yeti cooler brand. Similar rulings were handed down for the names Venom and Blizzard due to their potential overlap with other registered marks. Interestingly, names like Outlaws and Mammoth showed promise, as they faced the fewest obstacles, needing only minor clerical corrections for trademark recognition.

The team filed for these trademarks after Ryan and Ashley Smith purchased and relocated the Arizona Coyotes, illustrating the pressure to establish a recognizable and unique identity in a competitive market.

Despite these challenges, there's still a glimmer of hope. The trademark process doesn’t definitively exclude any options for the future, as the refusals are only advisory at this stage. Notably, several other names such as Canyons, Blast, Fury, and Ice emerged as potential contenders without any trademark conflicts.

As the Utah Hockey Club continues its push for a strong identity, its situation echoes that of other teams, including the Vegas Golden Knights, which faced their own trademark dilemmas in their early days. With time still on their side, it remains to be seen whether the Yeti will rise as the mascot of this new era in Utah hockey or if the team will adopt another name altogether.

Stay tuned as the saga unfolds—who knows what name will ultimately skate onto the ice come the next season!