Yesterday, 9/28/2020, the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup! Now our city is riding the high from the win. It is a nice reprieve from the unending divisiveness that comes with an upcoming election. Hopefully, our city will enjoy this win for a long time!
So, why is an intellectual property law firm writing about the NHL champs? Because we are thrilled that the Lightning won! However, here is a bit of IP for you. Did you know that STANLEY CUP is a registered trademark in the US? There are 8 STANLEY CUP trademark registrations covering different goods, including apparel, trophies, and of course an annual contest to determine the world champions. Makes sense, right?
Well, below are a few bits of what some might consider more interesting information that I found when looking into the trademark registrations.
- The trademarks are all owned by a Canadian company. Up until now, I did not know that the National Hockey League was a Canadian company.
- The first recorded use of STANLEY CUP, in connection with a hockey contest, extends back to 1893. At least that is the date that the NHL claimed in the trademark registration.
- According to the earliest trademark registration, the first recorded use of STANLEY CUP in the US in connection with a hockey contest to determine the worlds champs was 1924.
With the obligatory IP information out of the way, we look forward to continuing the celebration in our great city. From all of us at Smith & Hopen, congratulations to the Tampa Bay Lightning on winning the Stanley Cup!!
