On October 1, 2025, World Wrestling Entertainment filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its classic “block” logo, the bold, squared design that defined the company during its 1980s Hulk Hogan era. This wasn’t a routine defensive filing or a minor brand housekeeping task. This was WWE making a calculated legal move to reclaim exclusive rights to one of the most recognizable symbols in sports entertainment history. While WWE hasn’t commented publicly on their plans, the filing’s broad coverage of entertainment services and merchandise suggests the company is preparing to monetize decades of nostalgia. For entertainment companies sitting on dormant brand assets, WWE’s October filing offers a valuable lesson in strategic intellectual property management.
Breaking Down the Block Logo Application
In my practice, I see companies file defensive trademarks constantly, but this WWE filing caught my attention for specific reasons. I’ve reviewed the actual USPTO application, and here’s what stands out to me as a trademark attorney.
The mark itself consists of two stacked W’s in the bold, block style that wrestling fans immediately recognize. WWE filed this under multiple trademark classes, covering entertainment services including professional wrestling shows, production and exhibition of wrestling events through live and broadcast media, and providing wrestling news and information across various platforms. The application also extends to merchandise, which signals clear commercial intent beyond just protecting an old design.
When I analyze trademark applications, I look at the breadth of the classes covered. This filing isn’t narrow. WWE specified “entertainment services, namely, a show about professional wrestling” along with production services “rendered live and through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media.” That’s not the language of a company simply protecting something it might use someday. That’s the language of a company preparing to actively deploy this mark across multiple revenue streams.
The timing matters too. WWE filed this in October 2025, during a period when nostalgia marketing has become a major revenue driver for entertainment brands. The company hasn’t issued any public statement about what they plan to do with the block logo, but the filing itself tells the story. You don’t go through the trademark application process for a vintage design unless you see business value in controlling it.
The Block Logo’s Journey From WWF Icon to WWE Legends Symbol
This particular logo isn’t just another piece of WWE’s visual history. It represents a specific cultural moment that the company is now moving to control legally.
The block logo dominated WWF programming during the 1980s boom period when Hulk Hogan became a household name. The bold, squared design appeared on everything from Saturday morning broadcasts to action figures to arena signage. For an entire generation of fans, this logo is synonymous with the golden age of professional wrestling. The visual design itself was simple but powerful: two stacked W’s that read as both strong and approachable.
WWE retired the logo in the mid-1990s as the company evolved its branding. That’s where most companies would leave it. In my experience, entertainment clients often forget about retired logos until someone else tries to use them. But this logo had staying power.
In 2004, John Cena incorporated a modified version of the block logo into his personal branding during his rise to superstardom. That revival introduced the design to a new generation of fans who hadn’t experienced the original 1980s era. Later, WWE brought the block logo back again for its “WWE Legends” content, using the classic imagery to represent Hall of Fame talent and heritage programming.
I’ve worked with entertainment clients who underestimate the value of their vintage assets. They see old logos as retired designs with no current relevance. WWE clearly understands something important: heritage symbols accumulate value over time, especially when they’re tied to specific eras that fans remember fondly.
The Strategic Logic Behind Filing for Vintage Brand Assets
WWE’s filing represents smart intellectual property management that other entertainment companies should study. Let me explain why companies file trademarks for logos they’re not currently using.
First, there’s the trademark abandonment risk. If a company stops using a mark and doesn’t maintain it, they can lose their rights to it entirely. Another company can then file for the same mark, potentially blocking the original owner from using their own design. I’ve seen this happen, and it’s painful to watch a company lose control of something they created decades earlier.
Second, revenue opportunities from nostalgia merchandise have exploded. Retro product lines generate serious money across entertainment sectors. Vintage-style t-shirts, throwback merchandise, and heritage collections tap into emotional connections that consumers have with specific eras. WWE’s filing positions them to capitalize on this market without worrying about third-party companies producing unauthorized vintage merchandise.
The Penn State v. Vintage Brand case shows why this matters. Penn State sued Vintage Brand LLC over retro-inspired merchandise featuring vintage Penn State designs. The case highlighted how companies that specialize in vintage merchandise can exploit gaps in trademark protection. Entertainment companies need to protect their heritage assets before someone else starts selling products that trade on their brand history.
Third, licensing potential increases when you control your vintage designs. Collaborations with fashion brands, special edition products, and crossover merchandise deals all require clear trademark ownership. WWE can now license this block logo to partners who want to create authentic throwback products.
The nostalgia marketing psychology is real. People make emotional connections to brands from their younger years. Those connections drive purchasing decisions. WWE isn’t just protecting a logo. They’re protecting the ability to monetize an entire era of fan memories.
Streaming platforms create new opportunities for vintage branding too. When WWE produces documentaries about the 1980s era or creates retrospective programming, this trademark gives them exclusive control over how that iconic logo appears in promotional materials and merchandise tied to that content.
What WWE’s Move Signals for Entertainment Industry Trademark Strategy
I’m seeing a significant shift in how entertainment companies approach their intellectual property portfolios. WWE’s October 2025 filing reflects a larger trend that affects music labels, film studios, television networks, and sports franchises.
Other major brands have made similar moves. Kodak revived its original retro logo in recent years through its partnership with New York studio Work-Order. Burger King completely revamped its branding to embrace its 1969 logo, incorporating vintage-inspired designs and retro fonts throughout its entire brand identity. The NFL has capitalized on throwback jerseys that bring back classic team designs from previous decades.
These aren’t random decisions. My clients in music and film industries are asking me about similar protection strategies. They’re realizing that their archived assets have commercial value that wasn’t being captured.
The 2025 trademark landscape for entertainment brands looks different than it did five years ago. Social media amplifies vintage brand value because images and designs spread quickly across platforms. When fans share throwback photos or discuss favorite eras, they’re creating demand for authentic heritage merchandise. Companies that control their vintage trademarks can meet that demand. Companies that don’t might watch someone else profit from their brand history.
The streaming content boom matters here too. Every entertainment company is producing content about its own history. Behind-the-scenes documentaries, retrospective series, and anniversary specials all need visual branding. When you own the trademarks to your heritage designs, you control how those designs appear in modern content.
Sports franchises understand this. Teams regularly file trademarks for vintage logos and historic designs because they know anniversary seasons and throwback promotions generate ticket sales and merchandise revenue. Music labels protect classic album artwork and band logos for similar reasons. Film studios secure rights to vintage promotional materials and classic title treatments.
I expect to see more entertainment companies following WWE’s lead in 2025 and 2026. The companies that move proactively will control their brand heritage. The ones that wait might find themselves negotiating with third parties who filed first.
Protecting Your Entertainment Brand’s Heritage Assets
When entertainment clients come to me with heritage assets, I start by helping them identify which designs actually deserve protection. Logos used during breakthrough moments in your company’s history, designs associated with major successes, and visual elements that fans still reference decades later all qualify. If people seek out vintage merchandise featuring a particular design, that design has commercial value worth protecting.
The trademark application process for entertainment services and merchandise follows a specific path. I personally prepare and file every trademark application for my clients because the details matter. The application must include the correct classification of goods and services, specimens showing how the mark is used, and a basis for filing. For vintage marks that aren’t currently in use, an intent-to-use filing preserves your rights while you develop your strategy.
Federal registration provides benefits that common law protection simply can’t match. You get nationwide presumption of ownership, public notice through the USPTO database, the ability to bring infringement actions in federal court, and a basis for international registration. Common law rights are limited to the geographic areas where you’ve actually used the mark. That’s not sufficient for entertainment brands operating in multiple markets.
My comprehensive trademark search includes federal, state, and common law databases. This search identifies potential conflicts before you invest in filing an application. In my practice, I’ve filed over 6,000 applications, and I work directly with every client on every step of the process. I’ve helped entertainment clients protect everything from vintage logos to classic taglines.
The process itself moves through several stages. After the initial search confirms availability, I prepare and file your application with the USPTO. The application then goes through examination, where a trademark attorney at the USPTO reviews it for compliance with federal law. I handle any office actions or objections that arise during examination. Once approved, your mark gets published for opposition, and if no one opposes it, you receive your registration certificate.
Contact my office today to conduct a thorough trademark search and protect your brand’s valuable heritage assets.
