Athletics Denied 2 Trademarks by USPTO Ahead of Las Vegas Move

The Athletics are running into problems with their attempts to trademark team names ahead of their move to Las Vegas.

Front Office Sports noted on Tuesday that the A's attempts to file trademarks for "Las Vegas Athletics" and "Vegas Athletics" were denied by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Per Pennsylvania-based attorney Josh Gerben, the application was denied because the marks are "primarily geographically descriptive and therefore not eligible for registration on the Principal Register."

The primary issue is that the nickname "Athletics" lacks a "distinctiveness as applied to the goods and services identified in the applications," according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (h/t Gerben).

Even though the Athletics had a prior trademark from their time in Oakland, Gerben noted previous registrations don't guarantee approval of a new trademark and that "Oakland Athletics" and "Las Vegas Athletics" are distinct entities.

The A's officially broke ground on their new stadium in Las Vegas in June, with the expectation it will be completed in time for Opening Day in 2028. They are currently playing home games at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, which also houses their Triple-A affiliate.