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Nike's filing for Bronny James logo trademark was rejected
TL;DR
Bronny James' trademark application for his personal logo, featured on his sneakers, has been rejected. This comes as he prepares for the playoffs with the Los Angeles Lakers after overcoming a cardiac arrest last summer.
In order to progress in his basketball career, Bronny James had to overcome a cardiac arrest episode during the summer of 2023, just prior to his lone season at the University of Southern California. Of course, he has also had to endure an outsized amount of scrutiny and even hype as the son of LeBron James, one of the NBA's greatest players of all time.
The younger James hasn't shown the type of growth in his two pro seasons that some have wanted or expected him to show. But he has a spot somewhere near the periphery of the Los Angeles Lakers' rotation, and he will be available to play in the playoffs as they face the Houston Rockets in the first round.
Off the court, the younger James recently applied for a trademark on his own marketing logo, which was on a pair of sneakers he has worn in multiple games this season.
However, that trademark application was reportedly denied, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.
"Nike's trademark application for Los Angeles Lakers' guard Bronny James' 'B9' logo has been refused because of a 'likelihood of confusion' with an already-registered mark, according to United States Patent and Trademark Office documents," Rothstein wrote.
"The USPTO turned down the application because examining attorney P. Scott Craven deemed the logo too similar to the 'B9' logo created by Back9 Golf Apparel, a company out of Austin, Texas. Both 'B9' markings were filed for clothing and apparel usages.
"Nike applied for the 'B9' logo, which has a lowercase 'b' in gothic lettering with the number '9' in the middle, in February. James has worn logo-adorned shoes multiple times this season.
"... Back9's 'B9' logo has a black background with 'B9' somewhat overlapping each other in a racing font. Back9 began using the mark in 2020, filed for the trademark in 2021 and had it officially registered in 2022."
Rothstein pointed out that Nike has three months to appeal the decision and explain why and how its logo is distinct enough from the one in question that belongs to Back9.
The younger James averaged 2.9 points in 8.9 minutes a game and hit 38.6% of his 3-point attempts this season with the Lakers. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves injured, he started getting significant playing time toward the end of the regular season and responded by hitting double figures in scoring three times in the team's last six games.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Nike's filing for Bronny James logo trademark was rejected
Q&A
Why was Bronny James' trademark application for his logo denied?
The specific reasons for the denial of Bronny James' trademark application have not been disclosed.
What impact does Bronny James' trademark rejection have on his marketing plans?
The rejection may hinder Bronny James' ability to capitalize on his personal brand and marketing opportunities related to his logo.
How did Bronny James perform in his basketball career before the trademark denial?
Bronny James has faced scrutiny and has not shown significant growth in his two pro seasons, but he is set to play in the playoffs with the Los Angeles Lakers.