The proprietors of the Utah Mammoth NHL franchise have initiated legal action against a manufacturer of hockey bags to resolve an ongoing trademark conflict.
This lawsuit, submitted to the U.S. District Court in Utah, asserts that the Utah Mammoth and Mammoth Hockey LLC have become deadlocked regarding the trademark issue.
“Both the Utah Mammoth and the NHL firmly believe that federal and state law entitles us to utilize the name Utah Mammoth, and we do not believe our usage will negatively impact the defendant or their business in any manner,” stated officials from Smith Entertainment Group. “Our decision to take this step follows extensive deliberation regarding the defendant’s stance.”
The Mammoth revealed their new branding and logo in May, marking the close of their inaugural season in Utah. During their first year after relocating from Arizona to Salt Lake City, the team operated under the name Utah Hockey Club.
Shortly after the rebranding announcement, Mammoth Hockey, based in Oregon, sent a cease-and-desist letter, arguing that prospective consumers may confuse both brands and that supporters of competing teams would refrain from buying its merchandise. The correspondence noted that both entities possess logos resembling mammoths and are linked to the terms “Mammoth” and “hockey.”
Founded in 2014, Mammoth Hockey specializes in producing sizable equipment bags designed for hockey players.
“Mammoth Hockey plans to robustly defend itself against the recent lawsuit initiated by the Utah Mammoth, part of the National Hockey League, and to safeguard its well-established trademark associated with hockey products that it has been producing and selling for the last decade,” remarked Erik Olson, co-founder of Mammoth Hockey, in a statement to the Deseret News.
