Bettman meeting with Ryan Smith, owner of Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake (upd: Smith asks NHL to open expansion process)

[Daximus]

Utah Yeti is still the best. Lets make it happen.

 

[rojac]

Utah Lakers?

Considering how iconic LA Lakers moniker is, probably not.

But most definitely far more appropriate name for a team in SLC.

Well, of course, the Lakers name was very appropriate when they started in Minneapolis. But like a lot of NBA team moves, the team did not change its name when it moved. For example, the New Orleans Jazz becoming the Utah Jazz.

On the other hand, in the NHL, the Calgary Flames are the only team to keep their old name when they moved. Although Dallas did keep half their name.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I’ve kind of turned a corner on at least one part of their name, their location tag. Count me in as hoping, but not expecting, that they go by “Salt Lake” rather than “Utah.”

 

[Voight]

First should get dibs so Florida > Carolina

Florida Panthers 1993 Carolina Panthers 1995
Winnipeg Jets 1972 New York Jets 1959
Ottawa Senators 1992 Washington Senators 1961
New York Rangers 1926 Texas Rangers 1961

The original Ottawa Senators were founded in 1883.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I’ve kind of turned a corner on at least one part of their name, their location tag. Count me in as hoping, but not expecting, that they go by “Salt Lake” rather than “Utah.”

I've heard, but can't confirm, that a condition of the arena funding from the State is any team goes by "Utah".

 

[GKJ]

 

[Yukon Joe]

Do we know when the BOG is having its virtual meeting today?

 

[Brodie]

Do we know when the BOG is having its virtual meeting today?

3 EDT

 

[Yukon Joe]

3 EDT

TY.

So obviously though if they're holding a vote it's a foregone conclusion - Bettman doesn't schedule a vote without knowing what the results will be in advance...

 

[Brodie]

I think a major impediment to Yeti is going to be SEO, you're never going to see a team take a name that is easily confused on social media with another brand again imo

 

[sneakytitz]

Found this on another website. I can get behind either color scheme. Digging the 1st and 4th logos the most.

 

[Tawnos]

Personally very much dislike the Yeti idea. I prefer names that have something related to the region and/or its history. Or at least something that has a cool story behind it.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I think a major impediment to Yeti is going to be SEO, you're never going to see a team take a name that is easily confused on social media with another brand again imo

As soon as there is an NHL team called the Yetis, it'll be at or near the top of any search engine.

RIght now if I google "Yeti" - I get a sponsored ad for Yeti drinkware, then three natural hits for Yeti drinkware, then a Wiki link for the mythical Yeti, and THEN a hit for Yeti cycles.

And that's just a search for Yeti. When I search "Utah Yeti" the first three hits are ALREADY about it being the potential name for an NHL team. Yeti Coolers comes in fifth, behind some random Instagram account under that name.

But certainly it is a consideration. As is doing a thorough trademark search.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Utah Ska(tes)

 

[StreetHawk]

But certainly it is a consideration. As is doing a thorough trademark search.

Thus, I don't expect a renamed Coyotes team until 25/26 season. Need time for the trademarks, unless Smith has already done that. As it sounds like these chats with the NHL began earlier this year, but still, it's important for pro sports teams to secure their trademarks.

 

[KevFu]

I’ve kind of turned a corner on at least one part of their name, their location tag. Count me in as hoping, but not expecting, that they go by “Salt Lake” rather than “Utah.”

I've heard, but can't confirm, that a condition of the arena funding from the State is any team goes by "Utah".

The MLB Stadium funding bill that passed has the stipulation that the team have Utah in its name.

The NHL/NBA arena funding doesn't have that stipulation, because it's funding isn't conditional on getting a team like the baseball deal is. But it stands to reason they'd follow suit.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Thus, I don't expect a renamed Coyotes team until 25/26 season. Need time for the trademarks, unless Smith has already done that. As it sounds like these chats with the NHL began earlier this year, but still, it's important for pro sports teams to secure their trademarks.

I'm not an IP lawyer, but it doesn't take anywhere near that long.

Trademark Search

tmsearch.uspto.gov

Boom - there's your search.

Searching Utah Yeti comes back with 1,183 hits - but the first couple dozen are mostly different variations from Yeti Coolers - but there are other hits as well. Because "Yeti" is an actual word, Yeti Coolers isn't able to own the rights to the entire word (just like tech giant Apple doesn't own the word "Apple".

Now a couple hits do come up under "Yeti Hockey" - but they've been abandoned as of 2021.

So what would happen: you make your searches. You, along with your attorney, decide that it is extremely unlikely your trademark application for Utah Yetis will be rejected. So you make your application. USPTO analyzes the application, other people might challenge it, and eventually you receive your registered trademark (unless if your attorney is a buffoon).

But that's just for a registered trademark. You can proceed with an unregistered trademark - and you can even still fight people infringing on your unregistered trademark.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

That's admittedly an odd stipulation, but whatever, I suppose.

 

[Brodie]

That's admittedly an odd stipulation, but whatever, I suppose.

I think it makes sense in that market (even though I strongly prefer a "Salt Lake" brand, too) because the SLC media market/CSA is actually really spread out geographically and the team wants to generate Jazz like support from the entire state, from St. George to Logan. Success in the market likely requires statewide buy in

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Personally very much dislike the Yeti idea. I prefer names that have something related to the region and/or its history. Or at least something that has a cool story behind it.

Agreed. Hate it.

 

[KevFu]

I'm not an IP lawyer, but it doesn't take anywhere near that long.

It doesn't take long to go through the process once you have a name that's totally in the clear.

It's the getting a name that's totally in the clear that's the time consuming problem because there's a million different sports teams and not enough cool nicknames; and the internet/globalization has made the world smaller so any name gets a "You can't be the Utah ____'s, because we have a semi-pro tiddlywinks team named that!"

 

[hammer42]

I Hope they give the Utah team a good & cool nickname with a unique color scheme something like Raptors with a purple , black , gold & green color scheme & not something stupid & bland as Yetes with a red , white & blue color scheme .

 

[GKJ]

 

[MMC]