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Greg Wyshynski
Utah Hockey Club said it still expects to announce a permanent name and identity before the 2025-26 NHL season despite having “Utah Yetis” refused by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
“Since acquiring Utah’s NHL team, we have been carefully evaluating possibilities for the permanent identity of the team, while working within the complicated world of trademarks and intellectual property,” said president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong in a statement on Thursday.
As first reported by Ryan Miller of KSL.com in Utah, the USPTO rejected a trademark application from the team for “Utah Yetis” because of the “likelihood of confusion” for consumers to other companies and brands that use the name.
In a memo dated Jan. 9, the USPTO wrote that the word “Utah” is generic descriptor that “renders the wording ‘YETIS’ as the more dominant element of the mark.”
The Patent Office said that “Utah Yeti” also wouldn’t be accepted because “the singular or plural form of a registered mark is essentially identical in sound, appearance, meaning, and commercial impression, and thus the marks are confusingly similar.”
Utah Hockey Club was seeking to use “Utah Yetis” on a variety of clothing items. The USPTO said a database search turned up “a number of third-party marks registered for use in connection with the same or similar goods and/or services as those of both applicant and registrant in this case.”
Among those parties was Yeti Coolers LLC, who make drinkware, coolers and clothing. The memo was a “nonfinal office action.” Utah Hockey Club has three months to respond.
Utah Hockey Club is in its first season playing in Salt Lake City. The Arizona Coyotes’ franchise was sold to Utah Jazz owners Smith Entertainment Group in last April. SEG acquired the franchise, its players and its hockey operations department in the sale, although the teams is considered a new franchise rather than an extension of the Coyotes’ legacy.
Last June, it was announced that the team would be known as “Utah Hockey Club” during its inaugural season.
“It has always been our intention to let our season one identity as Utah Hockey Club, the team’s performance, and the amazing response from our fans hold the conversation through our inaugural season,” said Armstrong.
There was a fan vote on a permanent name for the team with six finalists: Utah Blizzard, Utah Hockey Club (Utah HC), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom and Utah Yeti. It was widely expected, even among Utah players, that “Yeti” or “Yetis” would eventually win out. But there are clearly some trademark hurdles for the team in getting there.
“We will continue to involve the community in the final stages of the naming and branding process and are fully on track with our plans to announce a permanent name and identity ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season,” said Armstrong.