Athletics Face Trademark Rejection as USPTO Denies Las Vegas Name Applications

Major League Baseball continues to centrally oversee trademark filings for all teams as part of a standardized, leaguewide process, a structure that has shaped the Oakland Athletics' recent efforts to secure branding protection tied to their planned move to Las Vegas. Those filings remain under scrutiny by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which rejected applications for Las Vegas Athletics and Vegas Athletics.

The USPTO found the marks to be primarily geographically descriptive and determined that “Athletics” is too generic to qualify for registration on the Principal Register without proof of secondary meaning. The refusals, issued Dec. 29, upheld an earlier ruling and reflect the agency's position that the team has not yet demonstrated sufficient market presence or use in Las Vegas.

“The examiner is taking this very literally,” Gerben tells Front Office Sports. “The USPTO is basically saying, ‘if we give the team unfettered rights, then any youth or amateur athletics association in Las Vegas could suddenly violate the trademark.' It's a weird result.”

“They don't get the benefit of the Oakland Athletics trademark,” Gerben added. “It doesn't just transfer that way.”

Legal observers note that geographically descriptive marks require acquired distinctiveness, typically shown through sustained use, advertising, sales, and consumer recognition. “The problem the team has here is that the move to Las Vegas is a new development, so they likely don't have sufficient use to claim acquired distinctiveness in the full mark ‘Las Vegas Athletics,'” Weiss tells FOS.

“If the applicant goes back to the USPTO after it starts using the mark and provides evidence of widespread use and sales, extensive advertising and news coverage, and consumer recognition, it will be able to secure the registration,” Roberts tells FOS.

The A's have three months from the issue date to respond and may appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board or pursue federal court options if the matter remains unresolved. A favorable outcome could still emerge as the team builds its brand ahead of its first Las Vegas game in 2028. However, the absence of a federal trademark could complicate efforts to police unauthorized merchandise after relocation.

Amid the legal process, the A's have continued aggressive roster and organizational moves, including an $86 million, seven-year deal for Tyler Soderström, Jeff McNeil's acquisition from the Mets, a $60 million, five-year contract for Brent Rooker, a $65.5 million, seven-year deal for Lawrence Butler, and an extension for manager Mark Kotsay through 2028 with a 2029 option. The club also plans to play two spring training games and six regular-season games in Las Vegas, reinforcing momentum as fans anticipate the transition despite the branding hurdle.