The Utah Hockey Club remains hopeful about revealing a permanent name and identity ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season, even after their proposed name “Utah Yetis” was rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Chris Armstrong, the president of hockey operations, stated on Thursday, “Since we took over Utah’s NHL team, we have been diligently assessing options for the team’s permanent identity while navigating the complexities of trademarks and intellectual property.”
According to Ryan Miller from KSL.com in Utah, the USPTO denied the team’s trademark application for “Utah Yetis” due to potential “likelihood of confusion” with existing companies and brands that use that name.
In a memo dated January 9, the USPTO stated that the term “Utah” is a generic descriptor that makes “YETIS” the more prominent part of the name.
They also indicated that “Utah Yeti” would not be approved because the singular and plural forms of a registered mark are essentially identical in terms of sound, appearance, meaning, and commercial impression, making the marks confusingly similar.
The Utah Hockey Club aimed to use “Utah Yetis” for various clothing items. The USPTO’s search revealed several third-party trademarks registered for similar goods and services related to both the applicant and registrant in this case.
One of the entities identified was Yeti Coolers LLC, which produces drinkware, coolers, and apparel. The memo constituted a “nonfinal office action,” and the Utah Hockey Club has three months to respond.
Currently in its first season in Salt Lake City, the Utah Hockey Club was formed when the Arizona Coyotes franchise was sold to the Smith Entertainment Group, owners of the Utah Jazz, in April 2024. SEG acquired the franchise, its players, and its hockey operations but is treating the team as a new franchise rather than a continuation of the Coyotes’ legacy.
In June, it was announced that the team would be called Utah Hockey Club for its inaugural season.
“It has always been our goal to let our identity as Utah Hockey Club, the team’s performance, and the enthusiastic support from our fans shape the narrative during our first season,” Armstrong mentioned.
Fans participated in a vote for a permanent name with six finalists: Utah Blizzard, Utah Hockey Club (Utah HC), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom, and Utah Yeti. Many expected “Yeti” or “Yetis” to prevail, but the team is facing trademark obstacles in that direction.
“We will keep the community involved in the final stages of the naming and branding process and are fully aligned with our plans to unveil a permanent name and identity before the 2025-26 NHL season,” Armstrong stated.s
Leave a Reply