How the Seattle Kraken Avoided A Trademark Dispute

The new Seattle Kraken hockey team may have just avoided a lengthy trademark dispute by working with the owner of the “RELEASE THE KRAKEN” trademark registration, Kraken rum.

In July, the NHL Seattle team announced their new name would be the Seattle Kraken. In doing so, they filed a slew of trademark applications with the USPTO for “SEATTLE KRAKEN,” “RELEASE THE KRAKEN” and an “S” logo.

However, just five days after filing two applications for the “RELEASE THE KRAKEN” slogan, the hockey team expressly withdrew them without comment.

One potential reason the NHL team may have so quickly withdrew their applications is because a popular rum brand, Kraken, already owns a trademark registration for the slogan. In furtherance of this theory, Kraken rum announced that they are the official sponsor of the Seattle Kraken just two days prior to the withdrawal.

It’s very possible that the Seattle hockey team and the owners of Kraken rum decided to avoid a trademark dispute by working out a business deal that benefits both parties.

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Josh Gerben, Esq.

Josh Gerben, Esq. is a nationally recognized trademark attorney and the founder of Gerben IP. Since launching the firm in 2008, he has overseen the registration of over 10,000 trademarks and handled over 1,500 trademark disputes. Josh's practice focuses on building and defending global trademark portfolios for clients. These clients include entrepreneurs, private equity-backed businesses, athletes, celebrities, and public companies. Frequently quoted by major media outlets like CNBC, CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, Josh is widely regarded as a leading authority in trademark law.