Group Seeking Las Vegas NBA Franchise Secures Trademarks for ‘Las Vegas Jacks’
An ownership group pursuing an NBA franchise in Las Vegas has quietly taken a significant step toward securing a potential name for the team.
As reported by Front Office Sports, the group led by Jerry Colangelo filed two federal trademark applications for ‘LV Jacks’ and ‘Las Vegas Jacks,’ according to USPTO records.
The trademark applications, which were filed in mid-2025, were drafted to cover the name of a professional basketball team and a range of associated merchandise.
Earlier this year, the USPTO issued conditional approvals for both trademarks.
The agency found no conflicts with any other existing trademarks.
That said, under US law, for the trademarks to register, the ownership group must prove the trademarks are being used “in commerce.”
A quiet filing with significant legal value
The decision to file the trademark applications well before an NBA expansion team has been awarded was a shrewd legal move.
Under U.S. trademark law, the filing date of a federal trademark application can establish a nationwide priority date for the applicant.
In practical terms, the 2025 filings put the ownership group in a strong position to prevent trademark squatters or other third parties from filing applications or even acquiring domains for similar names in connection with a basketball team.
Perhaps more importantly, the ownership group in this case now knows for certain that it has a clear path to obtaining federal trademark protection on its desired name.
The federal trademark registration process typically takes 8-12+ months to complete. A newly filed application typically sits for 5-6 months before it is even reviewed by a USPTO examining attorney. Once an examining attorney approves an application, it is then published for a 30-day period during which third parties can file an opposition.
The ‘LV Jacks’ and ‘Las Vegas Jacks’ applications have already moved through those critical stages without any pushback from the USPTO or an opposition from a third party.
For an ownership group hoping to launch a professional sports franchise, that is a valuable head start… It already has a legally cleared team name ready to be used.
Naming a sports franchise is harder than it looks
Finding a legally available name for a new professional sports franchise can be surprisingly difficult.
The Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians both encountered trademark-related issues while rebranding their respective franchises.
In Washington’s case, trademark squatters filed numerous applications for potential team names as speculation mounted over what the franchise would choose to replace “Redskins.” Those filings created additional legal complications around an already difficult rebranding process.
That is precisely the type of problem an early trademark filing can help prevent.
By filing for ‘LV Jacks’ and ‘Las Vegas Jacks’ before significant public attention was focused on the names, this particular ownership group was able to move through much of the trademark process without attracting challenges from potential squatters or other third parties.
Whether fans ultimately like the name is another question.
That said, given that the name has already received a conditional approval from the USPTO, it is hard to imagine this particular ownership group pivoting to a different name if it is ultimately awarded the franchise.
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.
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