Kobe Bryant was a professional basketball player who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his time in the league, Kobe became one of the most iconic and successful players in the history of the game.
Kobe Bryant was a basketball legend for his extraordinary talent, fierce competitiveness, and unwavering work ethic. He was an all-star performer who racked up points and stopped others from scoring in equal measure, earning him a slew of honors and trophies. To highlight just a few of Kobe’s many accolades, he had won five NBA titles with the Lakers, been selected as an All-Star 18 times, and been awarded the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008.
Kobe led Team USA when they won the gold medal medals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, adding to his already outstanding list of individual accomplishments.
Kobe’s influence on the NBA went much beyond his stellar playing career. His fame and popularity resounded in every corner of the globe. He left behind a legacy of generosity and kindness that will be celebrated for years to come.
The loss of Kobe in a horrific helicopter accident in January 2020 was devastating to the basketball community, but his legacy will live on. He will be revered for years to come as one of the game’s all-time greats and for the impact he had on the development of the sport.
Famous Kobe Bryant trademarks
Both within the NBA and outside, Kobe Bryant has a lot of commercial efforts that require trademarking. Let’s take a look at some of Kobe’s biggest trademarks.
Kobe Bryant
With such a high profile, it was vital for Kobe to trademark his name. However, despite his history, the trademark for the wordmark “Kobe Bryant” is still pending application and was filed in 2020 by Kobe Bryant, LLC. This applies to:
- Audiovisual recordings of motion pictures and television shows
- Downloadable computer application software for mobile devices to facilitate access to information in the field of sports, entertainment, fitness, health, nutrition, and wellness
- Downloadable podcasts in the field of sports, entertainment, fashion, beauty, fitness, health, nutrition, and wellness
- Audiovisual recordings in the field of sports, entertainment, fashion, beauty, fitness, health, nutrition, and wellness
- Eyewear, eyeglasses, sunglasses, and eye accessories
- Headphones, audio speakers, earbuds, and armbands specially adapted for holding personal electronic devices, such as mobile phones and MP3 players
- Computer game and video game software
- Clothing, namely shirts, tops, skirts, pants, shorts, bottoms, socks, dresses, jackets, hoodies, swimwear, robes, underwear, loungewear, ties and scarves, gloves, sweat bands, headwear, belts, and footwear
- Providing a website featuring entertainment information in the field of sports, children’s entertainment, action, adventure, animation, and fantasy
- Production and distribution of motion pictures and television programs
- Entertainment services, such as ongoing television programs in the field of sports, children’s entertainment, action, adventure, animation, and fantasy
- Educational and informational television programming in the field of sports, children’s entertainment, action, adventure, animation, and fantasy
Following the tragic and sudden death of Bryant, more trademarks have been filled to protect the image and post-humorous brand. The following trademark was filled in 2022 and applies to:
- Virtual and digital goods, namely art, avatars, emotes, beverages, collectible coins, headwear, footwear, eyewear, jewelry, watches, books, comics, bags, games, home goods, posters, sporting goods, toys, and trading cards for use online and in virtual worlds
- Virtual and digital interactive representations of Kobe Bryant for use in virtual experiences and the metaverse
- Multimedia files, audio recordings, video recordings, and image files containing content, artwork, text, audio, and video relating to Kobe Bryant
- Downloadable digital assets and electronic data files provided with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other crypto collectibles and blockchain-based non-fungible assets
- Downloadable computer software for allowing users inside virtual worlds, video games, and the metaverse to communicate with each other, play games, take photographs, teach and learn basketball, engage in other virtual experiences, and utilize virtual goods and items
- Providing an online community forum for users to share and stream information to form virtual communities and engage in social networking
- Organizing, conducting, and hosting events, exhibitions, expositions, sporting events, training, and conferences for commercial purposes in the interactive entertainment, virtual reality, sports, and video game entertainment industries
- Virtual basketball courts, gyms, parks, and recreational facilities for playing sports, sports training in the metaverse, and virtual words
- Creating and hosting an online community for users to access, create and publish on metaverse platforms
- Creating and hosting an online community featuring game and non-game worlds, the online universe and metaverse environments, and virtual and digital goods therein
MAMBA Sports Academy
MAMBA Sports Academy is a leading training facility in Southern California, founded by NBA legend Kobe Bryant. It offers elite-level coaching and state-of-the-art facilities to athletes of all ages and skill levels. MAMBA is dedicated to helping athletes achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
The trademark for MAMBA Sports Academy was registered in 2020 by Kobe Bryant, LLC, and applies to:
- Athletic shirts, athletic shorts, hats, jerseys, sweatpants, sweatshirts, tank tops, graphic T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, short-sleeved and long-sleeved T-shirts
- Sports training services in the field of mind, body, and performance athletic training for youth, amateur, and elite athletes
- Arranging and conducting youth programs in the field of holistic, cognitive, and physical athletic training
- Coaching in the field of sports
- Encouraging amateur sports and physical education by organizing, sanctioning, conducting, regulating, and governing amateur athletic programs and activities
- Operation of sports camps
- Providing sports facilities for mind, body, and performance athletic training for youth, amateur, and elite athletes
- Providing sports information
- Providing facilities for holistic, cognitive, and physical athletic training
Wrapping up
Registering your trademarks with the USPTO can save plenty of legal headaches, and possibly millions of dollars. The Kobe Bryant estate has an interesting portfolio of intellectual property, with 46 registered trademarks with the USPTO and growing, despite his death in 2020. What is most interesting is that there is still thought about Kobe Bryant and his commercial efforts, with the trademark filing of his name relating to virtual commodities and the metaverse.
At the time of his death, Kobe Bryant’s net worth was estimated at $680 million. As one of the most famous basketball players of all time, his likeness and name will continue to be of value, long past his time. So, the expansion of trademarks and protection of intellectual property as the world continues to modernize is smart, especially with the growing interest and expansion in e-sports, online gaming, and the metaverse.
