The newest National Hockey League (NHL) team, the Seattle Krakens, just joined the league in the Pacific Division under the Western Conference – just in time for the 21-22 season. The NHL approved the expansion in 2018 and fans were kept waiting until July 2020, when the branding was released.
The team’s name was chosen based on the Kraken of Scandinavian folklore, and it bears a resemblance to the Giant Pacific octopus, which is found near Seattle. On April 30th, 2021, the franchise paid the final installment of the $650 million expansion fee, officially making the Seattle Kraken the 32nd team of the NHL.
In addition to the new team, they’ll be playing in a new stadium with a 930 million dollar stadium built at the site of the KeyArena. Amazon purchased the naming rights to Climate Pledge Arenato and chose to name the venue to honor its climate goals.
The Krakens aren’t the first Seattle-based team, the first was the Seattle Metropolitans, who played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. They were the first USA-based team to win the Stanley cup. After folding in 1924, the second team was the Seattle Totems, founded in 1944 and disbanded in 1975. Attempts to create another expansion team were made in 1976; however, the plans were abandoned due to poor performance. More attempts were made in the 1990s, but the immense costs couldn’t be met. On October 26th, 2021, The Seattle Krakens raised a banner commemorating the 1917 Seattle Metropolitans for their Stanley cup win.
From 2012, the NHL had an increased interest in Seattle and began scoping out options.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds are American Hockey League (AHL) affiliates of the Kraken’s, based in California. Due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Firebirds will play for the first time in the 2022-23 season.
The Charlotte Checkers, the primary AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, serve as the AHL affiliate for the Kraken’s during the 21-22 season (due to the delayed Firebirds).
Famous Seattle Kraken trademarks
Being such a new team, the Seattle Kraken Hockey Team doesn’t have much going for them in trademarks. They did attempt to trademark the phrase “release the Kraken”; however, the trademark application was rescinded, likely due to infringement against the Kraken Rum Brand (official sponsors of the Seattle Krakens!). Still, they do have a handful of registered trademarks. Let’s take a look at the most famous trademarks.
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken team name was trademarked in 2021. The trademark is registered in the following categories:
- Entertainment services related to professional ice hockey exhibitions
- Clothing, including bandanas, baseball hats, beachwear, jackets, raincoats, scarves, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and more
S Logo
The Seattle Kraken’s “S” logo is fast becoming a hit with the fans. It can be seen on merchandise, branding, and clothing already. The trademark was registered in 2021 in the following categories:
- Entertainment services related to professional ice hockey exhibitions
- Clothing, including baseball hats, jerseys, beachwear, jackets, scarves, T-shirts, swimwear, boxer shorts, raincoats, jackets, toques, robes, housecoats, and more
Anchor logo
Just as popular as the “S” logo on their merchandise, the Anchor logo can also be seen on marketing materials and branding related to the team. The trademark was registered in 2021, following its first use in 2020. The trademark applies to the following categories:
- Entertainment services, specifically professional ice hockey exhibitions
- Clothing, including sports clothing, hosiery, suspenders, toques, swimsuits, sweaters, robes, wristbands, swimsuits, and more
Read more on trademarking logos.
The Depths
This is a pending application filed by the Seattle Krakens. The trademark application was submitted in 2021 with the USPTO and, if approved will apply to the following categories:
- Educational services, including providing classes, workshops, and demonstrations related to hockey
- Guided tours of hockey training facilities, practice facilities, or sports arenas
- Live appearances of a mascot for entertainment purposes
- Organizing and conducting an array of athletic events rendered live and recorded for the purpose of distribution through broadcast media
- Contests and competitions
- Classes for hockey fans
- Arranging and conducting competitions in the field of games of skill and chance and spirit competitions for sports fans
- Providing information relating to the sport of hockey via a website.
- Sport camp services
- Social club services, namely, arranging, organizing, and hosting social events, get-togethers, and parties for club members
- Organizing exhibitions in the field of hockey for cultural or educational purposes
Fear the Deep
This is another pending application filed by the Seattle Krakens. If approved, it’s expected that the trademark will apply in the following categories:
- Goods and services; arranging and conducting social entertainment events
- Podcasts and news related to hockey
- Providing social media posts to an online community featuring sports
- Blogs related to sports
- Online articles and newsletters related to sports
- Webcasts related to hockey
- Providing a website featuring photographic, video, and prose presentations featuring sports
Junior Squid
The “junior squid” wordmark is a pending trademark filed by the Seattle Krakens in 2021, and if approved, it will apply to the following categories:
- Stationary such as clipboards, envelopes, pencils, pens, adhesive labels, and notepads
- Printed trading cards and sports trading cards
- Art prints
- Piggy banks
- Cooking utensils
- Drawing/art utensils
- Bottle openers and corkscrews
- Cleaning brushes for barbecue grills
- Cups, mugs, and dinnerware
- Reusable ice cubs
- Coffee mugs
- Insulating sleeves
- Vacuum bottle stoppers
- Cutting boards
- Drinking glasses and drinkware
- Crockery and pepper mills
- Decanters
- Clothing for men, women, and children including bandanas, baseball caps, bodysuits, boxer shorts, hosiery, housecoats, robes, jackets, leotards, sportswear, swimsuits, swim trunks, and more
Kraken Helmet logo
The Kraken Helmet logo consists of an octopus in a hockey mask featuring an “S” design and holding a hockey stick with two front-facing tentacles. The trademark application hasn’t been approved yet, but if it is, then it will apply in the following categories:
- Bottle openers
- Bottles for drinking
- Insulated flasks and coffee cups
- Beer mugs
- Bottle stoppers
- Coasters and insulated wrap
- Household containers
- Stickers and posters
- Paper coasters
- Notecards and greeting cards
- Trading cards and carry cases
- Gift bags and paper lunch bags
- Paper tape
- Pen and pencil cases
- Bottle cleaning brushes
- Clothing including bandanas, baseball caps, beach cover-ups, bottoms, boxer shorts, cloth bibs, leggings, leotards, mittens, nightshirts, rainwear, robes, scarves, shirts, shorts, suspenders, and more
Wrapping up
The Seattle Kraken’s are a trailblazing new NHL team, returning the NHL to Seattle for the first time in decades. While it’s still early days, the Kraken’s have a real opportunity to become prominent in the world of hockey. It remains to be seen whether they’re a permanent fixture or whether they’ll fold like their predecessors.
They’re not the most popular team yet, with a value of only 800 million dollars or so, but part of this value will be made up of intellectual property and branding. The only way to indeed defend your intellectual property is to ensure it’s appropriately registered with the USPTO so that you can protect yourself in the case of a dispute. The Seattle Krakens own just 14 trademarks, including a few trademark applications.
