The National Football League (NFL) is an American Football league, consisting of a total of 32 teams, which in turn are divided between the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the top four American sports leagues. It has an 18 week season that runs from September to January, with each team playing 17 games. Once the season concludes, seven teams from each conference will go onto the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl. The league is headquartered in New York.
The NFL was first founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before being renamed in 1922 as the NFL. In 1960, the American Football League was introduced. The AFL and NFL competed initially, but the two leagues later merged in 1966.
Famous NFL trademarks
The NFL is a multi-billion dollar entity with a wealth of intellectual property to match. With a 100+ year history, it’s no surprise that the NFL has registered an array of trademarks with the trademark office. Let’s take a look at some of its most popular trademarks.
Superbowl
The first Superbowl took place in 1960. Now, it’s a hallmark of American culture and one of the biggest sporting events worldwide. The NFL first registered the trademark for the Superbowl in 1966 with the wordmark covering these categories:
- Football exhibitions
- Entertainment services, including musical and comedy performances
- Football helmets, holsters, and accessories
- DVD’s featuring football
- Clothing for men, women, and children
- Jewelry, watches, and other accessories
- Posters and trading cards
- Newsletters and magazines
- Toys and sporting goods
- Christmas tree ornaments
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live sports television broadcast owned by the NFL. The trademark for Monday Night Football was first registered in 1976 and covered the following categories:
- Video game cartridges
- Sports news
- Televised entertainment services. Providing a digital database via a global computer network, specifically in TV sports and entertainment
Pro bowl
The Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the NFL. Since the merger in 1970, it has been officially known as the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the AFC against those in the NFC. The Pro Bowl trademark was first registered in 1971 and applied to the following categories:
- Clothing for men, women, and children
- Entertainment services, specifically covering professional football services and games
The NFL experience
The NFL experience is an annual event run alongside the Super Bowl, comprising an interactive theme park offering competitions, games, entertainment attractions, displays, kids’ clinics, free autographs, and football card events. Proceeds are usually donated to charity. The wordmark ”NFL experience” was trademarked in 1991 in this category:
- Entertainment services, including a theme park composed of interactive displays and activities centered around professional football
Taste of the NFL
Taste of the NFL is a culinary event adjacent to the SuperBowl, during which 2,500 guests are treated to an immense culinary experience with the funds raised dedicated to solving hunger and food poverty in the USA. The wordmark ‘Taste of the NFL’ was first registered in 2000 and applied to the following categories:
- Cookbooks and printed restaurant guides
- Charitable fundraising services by means of a food and wine tasting event
NFL shield logo
The mark consists of the letters ‘NFL’ underneath a football and stars, all contained within a shield. It was first registered in 2005 and applied to the following categories:
- Clothing for men, women, and children
- Carrying bags, handbags, and luggage
- Transmission services
- Entertainment and communication services
- Distribution of TV services
- Creation and broadcast of media concerning sports games
- Football helmets
- Jewelry and accessories
- Posters and calendars
- Association services, such as promoting the interest of sports teams
- Education and entertainment services
- Toys and sporting goods
- Cologne and body lotion
- Lighters and ashtrays
- Downloadable software, including mobile apps and, is used for displaying information relating to football exhibitions, football schedules, media guides, audio and visual recordings relating to football exhibitions
Read more on trademarking a logo
NFL proline
NFL proline is the name of a clothing range. The trademark was registered in 2017 after a first use date in 1985. The trademark is active in the following category:
- Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, namely, tracksuits, jerseys, and shorts
NFL 100 logo
This mark consists of a shield containing the stylized letters “NFL” in the lower part and eight stars with a football within the top portion of the shield. The shield appears next to “100,” with the design of a moving football passing through the number. The logo was registered in 2021 and applied to the following categories:
- Football helmets
- Lapel pins and collectible coins
- Posters and trading cards
- Clothing
- Toys and sporting goods
- Association services, including promoting the interests of professional football clubs
- Professional football games and exhibitions
Punt Pass & Kick
Punt, Pass, and Kick was an activity sponsored by NFL and aimed at 6-15-year-olds to promote football and the NFL to young players. Though the campaign isn’t currently in use, NFL remains the legal trademark owner. The trademark was first registered in 1990 and applied to the following categories:
- The provision of entertainment services in the nature of amateur athletic competition
- Clothing
NFL on Location
NFL on Location is the name of NFL’s premium hospitality brand, which established a new industry standard for hospitality events. On Location can provide official access to corporate clients and fans alike at Marquee events, including the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl. The trademark for NFL on Location was registered in 2011 in the following categories:
- Consulting services in hospitality; catering for the provision of food and beverages; preparation and serving of food and beverages
- The coordination of travel arrangements for groups or individuals, including tour packages and other travel tours
- The arrangement of ticket reservations for sports events; entertainment services, namely conducting parties; entertainment services, providing personal appearances by football players; entertainment services, conducting parties and organizing exhibitions for football fans
NFL player care foundation
The NFL player care foundation (PCF) is a charitable organization designed to help players improve their quality of life upon retirement. PCF addresses every aspect of life and provides assistance with emotional, social, community, and medical issues that retired players may face.
The registered trademark consists of a logo that includes a stylized image of a football player inside a gridiron with the words “Player care foundation” appearing below the gridiron along with a shield containing the acronym “NFL” with eight stars and a stylized football. The mark, registered in 2014, applies to the following category:
- Charitable services provide financial assistance and support to disadvantaged and needy individuals to improve their quality of life
Wrapping up
The NFL is a vast organization owning a variety of NFL team names and logos, in addition to wordmarks and other types of intellectual property. Under trademark law, you’re entitled to important legal protections if you successfully register your unique branding.
Once your trademark application with the USPTO is approved, you gain a level of protection, including the right to take legal action if your trademark rights are compromised. The National Football League have ringfenced their trademark rights by registering over 100 trademarks.
