Two professional pickleball leagues, both calling themselves the “National Pickleball League.” Two organizations using “NPL” to brand their operations. One federal courtroom in Oklahoma City where a judge will decide which league gets to keep the name that’s become central to their business identity. For one of these leagues, October 18, 2025 marked the beginning of a legal battle that could force a complete rebrand or validate their right to a name they’ve built their reputation around.
When Two Leagues Claim the Same Crown
On October 18, 2025, USA-National Pickleball League LLC filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in Oklahoma City federal court against National Pickleball League LLC, based in Naples, Florida. Both organizations operate professional pickleball leagues under virtually identical names. Both use “NPL” as their abbreviation. And now both find themselves in a legal battle that will determine which league gets to keep the name and which must walk away from the brand identity they’ve built.
What strikes me about this Oklahoma filing is the specific nature of the plaintiff’s allegations. The New York-based league claims it registered its LLC first, arguing this establishes prior rights to the name. More significantly, the lawsuit alleges that the Florida league’s use of the same name has caused sponsor confusion and damaged the plaintiff’s brand. When potential sponsors can’t distinguish between two leagues with identical names, that’s not just inconvenient. It’s a direct threat to revenue streams and business viability.
The legal objective is clear: the plaintiff wants the court to determine exclusive nationwide rights to the “National Pickleball League” name and the “NPL” trademark. When I review a case like this, the first question I ask is about the timing of actual use in commerce. Pickleball has exploded in popularity, and professional league formation has followed that growth. Two separate entities arriving at the same name speaks to how predictable certain branding choices become in emerging sports markets.
The Legal Mechanics Behind League Name Battles
The outcome of this Oklahoma case will hinge on several specific legal principles that courts use to determine trademark ownership and infringement. In my practice, I’ve seen courts weigh these factors with great care when both parties have legitimate business operations.
Trademark rights in the United States aren’t created by registration alone. They’re created by use in commerce. The party who first uses a trademark in connection with specific goods or services typically gets priority, even without formal registration. LLC registration and trademark rights are separate legal concepts that operate on different timelines. You can register an LLC with your state today, but if you never actually use that name in commerce, you may not have trademark rights at all.
When I prepare likelihood of confusion analyses, I examine the same factors the court will consider: similarity of the marks, similarity of goods or services, geographic scope of operations, evidence of actual confusion, strength of each mark, and whether one party intended to create confusion. In this pickleball dispute, several factors appear strongly implicated. The marks are virtually identical, both parties operate professional sports leagues, both claim national scope, and the plaintiff alleges actual sponsor confusion has already occurred.
Federal court jurisdiction exists because trademark claims arise under federal law when interstate commerce is involved. Professional sports leagues operating across multiple states easily meet this threshold. The choice of Oklahoma City as the venue reflects strategic considerations about which federal judges might hear the case.
Service marks receive the same legal protection as trademarks. Professional sports leagues qualify for service mark protection because they provide entertainment services. To prove service mark rights, leagues need specimen evidence like ticket sales, promotional materials, merchandise, or sponsor agreements showing active commercial use. (You can read more on trademarks vs service marks here)
The priority question comes down to dates. Who first used the mark in commerce? How extensive was that use? Courts reward people who build actual businesses under their marks, not those who simply register names without using them.
Why Professional Pickleball’s Brand Territory Is Worth Fighting For
What I find particularly interesting about pickleball’s market is how quickly it has evolved from a recreational activity to a professional sport with significant commercial stakes. The Amateur Pickleball Association reported growth from approximately 4.8 million players in 2021 to over 13.6 million players in 2024. That explosive growth has attracted serious investment into professional leagues, tournaments, and media coverage.
The sports industry landscape shows that “National” designation carries specific weight with sponsors and media partners. When you tell a potential sponsor you run the “National Pickleball League,” you’re signaling scale, legitimacy, and geographic reach that justifies their investment. The word “National” suggests you’re the major league, not a minor player.
Professional league naming follows recognizable patterns. Think NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS. “NPL” fits that same three-letter pattern, making it valuable for social media handles, domain names, and media coverage. Sports journalists default to abbreviations when writing headlines and tweets.
Media coverage patterns for professional pickleball have shifted dramatically. What started as human interest stories has evolved into serious sports coverage on ESPN, CBS Sports, and dedicated streaming platforms. Revenue streams extend far beyond ticket sales. Media rights represent increasingly significant income as streaming platforms look for content. Merchandise sales depend on brand recognition and perceived prestige. Venue partnerships favor leagues with national scope and professional branding.
In analyzing professional sports branding, the patterns become clear. Leagues that establish themselves early with strong national brands tend to dominate their sports. This is exactly what both pickleball leagues in this lawsuit understand. They’re fighting over market position, sponsor relationships, and long-term viability in a rapidly growing sport.
What Every Emerging Sports Organization Must Do Before Launch
Given the high stakes in professional pickleball and other emerging sports markets, every league, tournament organizer, or sports brand needs a thorough trademark clearance process before launch. The Oklahoma lawsuit illustrates what happens when two organizations skip this step or execute it inadequately.
When working with a new league name concept, the first step is always a detailed trademark search across multiple databases and jurisdictions. This isn’t just checking if the exact name is federally registered. A thorough clearance process involves multiple layers of research that many people miss when they’re excited about launching their new venture.
The search methodology for sports organizations includes the federal trademark database at the USPTO, but that’s just the beginning. State trademark databases in all 50 states need examination because common law trademark rights can exist without federal registration. Someone operating a “National Pickleball League” in three states without a federal registration still has trademark rights in those markets. Internet searches, social media platforms, domain name registrations, and business directories all need review.
Multi-jurisdictional search requirements become especially important for any league using “National,” “American,” or “United States” in its name. You’re claiming nationwide scope, which means you need to clear the name nationwide. Finding out after launch that another organization is using a similar name in California, Texas, or Florida could derail your entire expansion strategy.
Domain name availability coordination with trademark strategy matters more than many people realize. If your ideal league name is available as a trademark but the dot-com domain is owned by someone else, that creates problems. Sports fans expect to find you at YourLeagueName.com. Similarly, social media handle availability across major platforms should be part of your clearance analysis. (I wrote more on domain names and trademarks here)
Here’s the critical distinction many new league operators miss: state LLC name availability differs from federal trademark rights. You might successfully register “National Pickleball League LLC” with the New York Secretary of State, but that doesn’t give you trademark rights. It just means New York approved your corporate name filing. Meanwhile, someone in Florida could register the same LLC name with their state. Now you have the exact situation playing out in Oklahoma City federal court.
Red flags that should stop a launch include finding any active use of your proposed name in your sport, discovering federal trademark applications pending for identical or similar names, or locating common law use that predates your plans. Alternative name development when conflicts exist isn’t giving up. It’s smart business. If your clearance search reveals problems, pivoting to a different name before you’ve printed jerseys, signed venue contracts, and launched your marketing campaign costs far less than defending a trademark lawsuit.
Defensive filing strategies for variations and abbreviations can protect your brand investment. If you’re launching the “National Pickleball League,” consider filing trademark applications for “NPL,” “National Pickleball,” and other variations that competitors might adopt. This prevents scenarios where someone starts the “National Pickleball Association” using your exact abbreviation and creates the same confusion problem.
Don’t Let Your League Become a Cautionary Tale
Right now in an Oklahoma City courtroom, two pickleball leagues face a situation that could have been completely avoided. One of them will likely walk away from this lawsuit needing a full rebrand. New name. New logo. New domain. New social media accounts. Every jersey, every piece of merchandise, every venue contract with the old name becomes obsolete. The cost comparison between proactive clearance and reactive litigation isn’t close. Attorney’s fees in federal trademark litigation can easily reach $100,000 or more. That doesn’t count the cost of rebranding, lost sponsor relationships, or the business disruption of fighting a lawsuit while trying to run your league.
The most rewarding part of my practice is preventing these disputes before they start. When I conduct trademark searches, I look at all the places where conflicts hide: federal registrations, state databases, common law use, pending applications, and international registrations. This process takes three to five business days, and I provide a written opinion letter that assesses your risk level. If the search comes back clean, I prepare and file your trademark application with the USPTO, then monitor it through the entire examination process. You get unlimited phone consultations during this process, and I personally handle every search and application because details matter in trademark law.
Contact me today for a free initial consultation to assess your trademark risk. We’ll discuss your league name, your timeline, and what level of clearance search makes sense for your situation. Protect your investment before launch day. The pickleball leagues in Oklahoma learned this lesson the hard way. You don’t have to.
