"Fantasy disney sh**" "Sounds like Beer League team": NHL fans react as Utah Hockey Club faces trademark issues for "Utah Yetis"

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jan 22, 2025 16:54 GMT

Follow Us

Share

0 Discuss

The Utah Hockey Club's name, "Utah Yetis," is facing trademark issues. NHL insider Ryan Miller tweeted on Wednesday that the trademark application was refused due to a "likelihood of confusion." He also noted that other name applications had been refused, but the team still has time to address the issue.

The "Utah Yetis" trademark application has been refused due to a "likelihood of confusion." And that's not the only application that's been refused, either. The team still has time, though, to make its case(s)," Miller wrote.

NHL fans shared their thoughts about the news on X.

"Incredible news. Can we try a name that's not fantasy land Disney sh**?" one fan said.

"They should be named the Saints but with a beehive logo in yellow, tan, white, and blue," another fan wrote.

"Yetis is awful. Please no. Sounds like a Beer League team," another fan wrote.

The refusal means that the Utah Hockey Club will need to decide whether to fight for the name or choose another. Here are other reactions.

"well yeti is a very popular cooler brand already, so I imagine they don't want the confusion nor the competition," a fan wrote.

"Good. They shouldn’t be the Yetis. Get more creative, Utah. (And I say this knowing that while I love them, “Colorado Avalanche” is a ridiculous name for a team. On par with “Minnesota Wild”. Awful.)," another fan commented.

"This is ridiculous. Most teams are named something extremely generic that could overlap anywhere. With that said, most of the names picked are terrible. I’ve seen Swarm or Hive at one point, and that’s much better than the other options and actually make sense," a fan tweeted.

Utah Hockey Club's struggles in securing a permanent name

The Utah Hockey Club is struggling to secure a permanent name due to trademark issues. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office refused the "Utah Yetis" application, citing possible confusion with the Yeti cooler brand. Similar issues also affected the "Blizzard" and "Venom" names. The temporary name, "Utah Hockey Club," was denied for being geographically descriptive but may be amended for approval.

The "Mammoth" and "Outlaws" names faced no major conflicts but needed minor clerical corrections. The deadline for "Mammoth" is in early February. Fans have shown strong support for "Yetis," but legal challenges could prevent its use.

The team, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, moved to Salt Lake City under new owner Ryan Smith. With three months to address these refusals, the club may still need to consider other options. The final decision will depend on legal and trademark outcomes.