The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They were founded in 1967 as the Denver Larks but rebranded to the Rockets after their first season. They changed their name again to the Nuggets in 1974. This adjustment was due to the possibility of confusion with the Houston Rockets, and also as a nod to the mining industry in Colorado in the mid-19th century. The Nuggets joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) as an expansion team in 1976.
One of the most notable achievements in the team’s history was their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2009, where they were eventually defeated by the LA Lakers. The team has also made it to the playoffs numerous times, including a run to the Western Conference Semifinals in 2019.
Some of the notable people associated with the Denver Nuggets include former players such as Carmelo Anthony, who spent several seasons with the team and was a key part of their success in the early 2000s, and Alex English, who is considered one of the best players in the team’s history. The team is currently led by head coach Michael Malone and features talented players such as Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Famous Denver Nuggets trademarks
The Denver Nuggets have a large portfolio of registered trademarks, from team names and phrases to registered logos and artwork that represent the team brand. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous trademarks for the Denver Nuggets:
Denver Nuggets
One of the key items any organization must trademark is the name. The Denver Nuggets have registered multiple trademarks against the team name to ensure it is appropriately protected in all commercial avenues. This trademark was first registered in 1978 and applies to:
- Entertainment services comprising basketball competitions and exhibitions
- Entertainment and educational services in the nature of ongoing television and radio programs in the field of basketball and rendering live basketball games and basketball exhibitions
- Production and distribution of radio and television shows featuring basketball games, basketball events, and programs in the field of basketball
- Entertainment services in the nature of personal appearances by a costumed mascot or dance team at basketball games and exhibitions, clinics, camps, promotions, and other basketball-related events, special events, and parties
- Fan club services
- Providing a website featuring non-downloadable multimedia material in the nature of television highlights, interactive television highlights, video recordings, video stream recordings, interactive video highlight selections, radio programs, radio highlights, and audio recordings in the field of basketball
- Providing news and information in the nature of statistics and trivia in the field of basketball
- Clothing, such as T-shirts, shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, pants, tank tops, jerseys, shorts, pajamas, sweaters, jackets, coats, undergarments, boxer shorts, slacks, dresses, swimwear, bathing suits, swimsuits, bikinis, swim trunks and board shorts
- Sports-related clothing, such as basketball shoes, basketball sneakers, sports shirts, rugby shirts, warm-up suits, warm-up pants, warm-up tops/shooting shirts, cheerleading dresses, and uniforms
- Pillows and seat cushions; portable and folding stadium seats and cushions
- Picture frames, wall plaques made of wood or plastic, wooden signboards
- Steel furniture, such as recliners, chairs, and stools
- Portable and folding sports seats and stools, juvenile furniture, non-metal stands for holding and displaying various types of balls
- Plastic figurines and plastic novelty license plates
- Beverage glassware, such as drinking glasses, shot glasses, mugs, cups, beer mugs, bottle openers, drinking flasks, insulating sleeve holders for bottles, and insulating sleeve holders for beverage cans
- Cloth banners, cloth wall hangings, cloth, and fabric pennants; bed, bath, and household linens, bed sheets, blankets, comforters, curtains, draperies, quilts, bedspreads, towels, pillowcases and shams, stadium blankets, throw blankets, cloth flags, unfitted fabric furniture covers
- Toys, games, and sporting goods, namely, basketballs, playground balls, sports balls, rubber action balls, foam action balls, plush balls for games, plastic balls for games, basketball nets, basketball backboards, miniature basketball backboards; dart board cabinets, basketball tabletop games, basketball board games, and action skill games
- Adult and children’s party games, dolls, decorative dolls, collectible dolls, toy action figures, bobblehead action figures, stuffed toys, plush toys, toy building blocks, and novelty foam toys in the shapes of fingers and trophies
- Christmas tree ornaments and Christmas stockings
- Retail store services and computerized online retail store services, such as online ordering services, electronic retail store services via computer, and electronic mail order catalog services, all featuring an array of basketball-themed merchandise
- Promoting the goods and services of others by arranging for sponsors to affiliate these goods and services with a basketball program
- Promoting the sale of goods and services of others through the distribution of promotional contests provided over the internet
Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are often referred to simply as “Nuggets”, so it is important to ensure that the singular word is also protected. This trademark was first registered in 2010 and applies to:
- Entertainment and educational services in the nature of ongoing television and radio programs in the field of basketball and rendering live basketball games and exhibitions
- Production and distribution of radio and television shows featuring basketball games, basketball events, and programs in the field of basketball
- Conducting and arranging basketball clinics and camps, coaches clinics and camps, dance team clinics and camps, and basketball games
- Entertainment services in the nature of personal appearances by a costumed mascot or dance team at basketball games and exhibitions, clinics, camps, promotions, and other basketball-related events, special events, and parties
- Fan club services
- Providing a website featuring multimedia material in the nature of television highlights, interactive television highlights, video recordings, video stream recordings, interactive video highlight selections, radio programs, radio highlights, and audio recordings in the field of basketball
- Providing news and information in the nature of statistics and trivia in the field of basketball
- Online non-downloadable games, such as computer games, video games, interactive video games, puzzles, and trivia games
- Electronic publishing services, such as the publication of magazines, guides, newsletters, coloring books, and game schedules of others online through the Internet, all in the field of basketball
- Providing an online computer database in the field of basketball
Denver Nuggets Pickaxe logo
The Denver Nuggets have gone through multiple variations of their team logo since the team was formed. The current logo features two crossed pickaxes, with a basketball below and a mountain range above, within a circle. The logo features four colors – dark blue, yellow, white, and burgundy red. This logo was first registered in 2010 and extensively applies to many categories, including:
- Toys, games, and sporting goods
- Audio and video recordings in the field of basketball
- Computer software and accessories
- Computer game and video game software
- Eyewear, glasses, frames, and cases
- Publications and printed matter
- Basketball trading cards, stickers, decals, commemorative basketball stamps
- Stationery, such as pens, paper, memo pads, clipboards, binders, notebooks, and pen and paper holders
- Children’s activity books, children’s coloring books, statistical books, guide books, and reference books in the field of basketball
- Bags, such as athletics, shoe, overnight, backpacks, tote, beach, gym, and other types of bags
- Clothing, such as T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, jackets, coats, trousers, and other various clothing items
- Audio, television, and radio broadcasting, and broadcasting and webcasting over the internet
- Entertainment and educational services in the nature of ongoing television and radio programs in the field of basketball and rendering live basketball games and basketball exhibitions
Related: Trademarking a logo
Wrapping up
Registering your trademarks with the USPTO can save you plenty of legal headaches. You must protect your unique brand from infringement if you have a significant brand name. The Nuggets have taken steps to protect some of their intellectual property, including the Nuggets pickaxe logo and the team name.
With 65 trademarks and counting, the Denver Nuggets have more opportunities for future marks. From philanthropic efforts to special images and team-specific phrases, we can expect the Denver Nuggets’ intellectual property to expand in years to come.
Read more about other famous trademarks here.
