Oakland Raiders file three trademark applications suggesting potential Las Vegas relocation

“Raiders Wearing the Black Uniform” by Pete Sheffield. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

In the National Football League, as with other major sports leagues, relocation of a team is a subject that can give owners leverage during negotiations and strike fear into the hearts of diehard fans. This summer saw the relocation of the St. Louis Rams to their former home in the Los Angeles Coliseum, where the franchise played its football games between 1946 and 1979.

It’s likely that the Rams move is simply the first in a series which could dramatically alter the NFL landscape on the West Coast. The San Diego Chargers have opted to remain in their current city but they do have an agreement in place with the Rams to share a new stadium being built in the Inglewood area once it’s complete. The Oakland Raiders were initially rumored to be returning to Los Angeles along with the Rams, but a series of recent trademark application filings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that Las Vegas is a much more likely destination for the Raiders.

On August 20th, the Oakland Raiders filed three trademark applications with the USPTO for standard character marks on “Las Vegas Raiders,” suggesting the team is very serious about relocating to Las Vegas in the near future. U.S. Trademark Application No. 87145341 would protect the use of Las Vegas Raiders on football helmets, downloadable software and electronic guides related to football, jewelry, trading cards and other souvenir items. U.S. Trademark Application No. 87145339 would protect the use of Las Vegas Raiders for the conducting of professional football games, football fan club services, sports and entertainment information provided via cable or satellite as well as live shows featuring football competitions. U.S. Trademark Application No. 87145331 would protect the use of Las Vegas Raiders on a variety of clothing items, including jerseys, caps, visors, earmuffs, T-shirts, sweaters, gloves and scarves.

Interestingly, the Oakland Raiders hold two trademarks for “Los Angeles Raiders” which are still live. U.S. Trademark No. 73484614 was renewed last August and protects the use of Los Angeles Raiders on entertainment services in the form of professional football games and exhibitions. U.S. Trademark No. 74310195 was renewed last December and protects the use of Los Angeles Raiders on trading cards, posters, magazines, books and clothing. Both of these typeset word marks are currently on the Principal Register.

It’s going to take a good deal of money to get the Raiders to Las Vegas, if that move comes to pass in the future. Plans for a 65,000-seat stadium in Las Vegas would cost $1.9 billion to complete. However, a recent vote by the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee recommended $750 million in public assistance to construct the Las Vegas stadium, fueled at least in part by an increase to the area’s hotel tax. Whether or not Las Vegas gets an NFL franchise, the city is poised to become the hometown of a National Hockey League franchise that will begin playing in fall 2017, so Las Vegas will finally become the home of a major sports team with or without football.