Official: AHL approves Palm Springs as NHL Seattle's AHL team

[gstommylee]

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[Interior Cascadian]

Fantastic. It's an old foregone conclusion, but I'm glad Seattle's contributing to the AHL's westward expansion.

 

[IceNeophyte]

Smack dab in the middle of Snowbird Country. This is going to be a home run. Or a hat trick. Or something.

 

[gstommylee]

Smack dab in the middle of Snowbird Country. This is going to be a home run. Or a hat trick. Or something.

That's the point of why they went with palm springs and the airpoint that is 5 mins away from the arena has two direct flights lines one to SeaTac the other to Paine Field in Everett

 

[VanIslander]

Palm Springs Firebirds are born!

 

[Agalloch]

Trademark for Palm Springs Firebirds rejected

The Oak View Groups’ trademark application for the Palm Springs Firebirds has been rejected according to a letter from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

 

[Seattle Totems]

I dont understand how any sports team name application can be rejected by the trademark office. There are literally thousands of teams in the USA that share the same name. 1603 teams are called the Eagles in the US. If you asked a million Americans across the country where the Eagles play, 99% would say Philadelphia. Obviously in this case the OHL team came first but this is a regional team of amateurs from Michigan. Palm Springs is on the other side of the country and the AHL is also what could be argued as a regional league. There is no chance that these two teams would be confused for one another. The only time people get confused is when two cities share the same name such as Portland Ore vs Portland Maine.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I dont understand how any sports team name application can be rejected by the trademark office. There are literally thousands of teams in the USA that share the same name. 1603 teams are called the Eagles in the US. If you asked a million Americans across the country where the Eagles play, 99% would say Philadelphia. Obviously in this case the OHL team came first but this is a regional team of amateurs from Michigan. Palm Springs is on the other side of the country and the AHL is also what could be argued as a regional league. There is no chance that these two teams would be confused for one another. The only time people get confused is when two cities share the same name such as Portland Ore vs Portland Maine.

you had everyone up to the last line of your post, ST, there hasn't been a Firebirds franchise since the late 1970s when Syracuse, then Philadelphia had an AHL Team, before the advent of the current Crunch and the Phantoms, now in Allentown, since the closing of the Spectrum there's also no confusion between the two Portlands, since its separate leagues, and different names how different can Winterhawks, Mariners, or Pirates be, since those are the registered trademarks

 

[Seattle Totems]

Its much easier to confise two cities with the same name than two teams with the same nick name. Nick names are generic.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Its much easier to confise two cities with the same name than two teams with the same nick name. Nick names are generic.

no they're not, since when has Firebirds ever been used by any pro franchise, except when referenced historically by the AHL

 

[Seattle Totems]

no they're not, since when has Firebirds ever been used by any pro franchise, except when referenced historically by the AHL

Who cares. Its an OHL team from Michigan that no one outside of Michigan will ever care about. Thats my point. This is not a multi million dollar franchise with universal brand appeal. The norm for nick names in sports is that they are transferrable.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Who cares. Its an OHL team from Michigan that no one outside of Michigan will ever care about. Thats my point. This is not a multi million dollar franchise with universal brand appeal. The norm for nick names in sports is that they are transferrable.

that's not why they rejected it, it's the Firebirds name, not the city

 

[PCSPounder]

The letter says "similarity of the marks" as a major argument.

I would argue "Palm Springs Firebirds" is easily distinguished from "Flint Firebirds." Not to mention that Vegas Golden Knights passed muster in the face of opposition from University of Central Florida. I think another board posted a mark that looked rather similar to Flint's.

I'm betting the name won't change, but something else needs to change.

 

[gstommylee]

The letter says "similarity of the marks" as a major argument.

I would argue "Palm Springs Firebirds" is easily distinguished from "Flint Firebirds." Not to mention that Vegas Golden Knights passed muster in the face of opposition from University of Central Florida. I think another board posted a mark that looked rather similar to Flint's.

I'm betting the name won't change, but something else needs to change.

Football and Hockey two different sports. The issue is with the firebirds name another hockey team in the states also uses the name.

 

[Groo]

Not afraid of having any issues with the ice?

 

[kN3eLb4Z0d]

@Groo, that gave me a good chuckle lol

In all seriousness, though, I grew up in Palm Springs. Back when I was about 11-12, circa 1982-83, the Palm Desert Town Center mall opened up, and there was an ice rink in there. It was thought of as insane at the time, of course, but it really took off and became incredibly popular. Right up until they removed it lol.. still, I miss those days a lot, and I'm sure plenty of others do too. Hopefully they do well there. We shall see.

 

[Groo]

@Groo, that gave me a good chuckle lol

In all seriousness, though, I grew up in Palm Springs. Back when I was about 11-12, circa 1982-83, the Palm Desert Town Center mall opened up, and there was an ice rink in there. It was thought of as insane at the time, of course, but it really took off and became incredibly popular. Right up until they removed it lol.. still, I miss those days a lot, and I'm sure plenty of others do too. Hopefully they do well there. We shall see.

Thanks for sharing the memory.
I'm happy for the locals down in the desert.

 

[Los Patos de Anaheim]

I used to live in Hemet, not too far from Palm Springs actually. Very much a desert, will be interesting to see how hockey works out!

 

[LadyStanley]

AHL Palm Springs Update: Firebirds Back in Play

Update on AHL team name. Firebirds was rejected by trademark office, but response filed, including permission from Flint organization to use the name, it now has approval.