Utah Hockey Club faces challenges with name trademarks

SALT LAKE CITY — The search continues for an official name for the Utah Hockey Club. The Utah Yetis, which many people assumed would be the team’s official name, was refused by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

KSL.com reports the Patent and Trademark Office likely rejected the name due to its similarity to the brand YETI. YETI makes coolers and drinkware along with other products.

The proposed name originates from a Smith Entertainment Group survey. In the survey, people could vote for a permanent name for the Utah Hockey Club. According to Deseret News, the team filed applications for trademarks for five other names. Those are Utah Blizzard, Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Hockey Club and Utah Venom.

Along with Utah Yetis, the Patent and Trademark Office has refused Utah Blizzard and Utah Venom.

Jay Stevens, the host of Utah Puck Report, said he thinks the team was expecting this rejection its first time through the Patent and Trademark Office.

“I think they knew this is a multi-step process where, yeah, you got to go through and you get your first rejection,” he said. “They’re doing everything by the book … If they really want the name, now they can go to [YETI] and work things out.”

Despite the refusal, Chris Armstrong with the Utah Hockey Club said the team is on track to announce its name before the 2025-2026 hockey season.

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