The Bears are a Chicago-based American Football Team. They began as the Decatur Staleys, established by Staley Food Starch Company of Decatur, Illinois, to represent the company. The company hired Edward ‘Dutch’ Sternamen and George Halas to run the team in 1920. They competed in the American Professional Football Association, which would become the NFL in 1922. This is fairly typical for the older professional franchise.
In 1921 the Staleys relocated to Chicago under a $100 deal. In 1922, George Halas changed the club name from Staleys to the Bears, and the team moved to Wrigley Field. The Bears derived their nickname from the local baseball team – standard for the era. The Wrigley Field was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball team.
Today, the Bears compete in the National Football League as a member of the North division. The Bears have won one Super Bowl and nine NFL championships; they also hold the record for the most members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and retired jersey numbers.
In addition, the Chicago Bears have recorded more wins than any other NFL team. It’s one of the remaining franchises from the NFL’s founding, along with the Arizona Cardinals (originally from Chicago). The team played home games at Wrigley Field until the 1970s, when they’d relocate to Soldier Field on the Near South Side, next to Lake Michigan. The Bears have a historic rivalry with the Green Bay Packers.
The team is headquartered at Halas Hall in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest. The Bears practiced near there during the season and began hosting a training camp in 2020 after renovations.
Famous Chicago Bears trademarks
As one of the few original NFL teams, it’s not surprising that the Chicago Bears have amassed substantial intellectual property. There are several key trademarks that make up the Bears’ unique branding; let’s look at the trademarks owned by the Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears team name, first used in 1922, was trademarked in 1973 for use in the following categories:
- Poster books, paper stickers, trading cards, calendars, wrapping paper, greeting cards, and more
- Men’s, women and children’s clothing and footwear
- Entertainment services related to football exhibitions and media coverage of football matches
C Logo
The ‘C’ on the Chicago Bears logo and branding was first registered in 1973, following its first use in 1963. It was registered for use in:
- Entertainment services related to football exhibitions and media coverage of football matches
- Education and entertainment services, including exhibitions, football games, and competitions
- Jewelry, clocks, and decorative pins
- Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, namely, fleece tops and bottoms, headwear, caps, knit hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, tank tops, sweaters, pants, jackets, golf shirts, knit shirts, jerseys, wristbands, warm-up suits, raincoats, parkas, gloves, ties, cloth bibs, sleepwear, namely, nightshirts and pajamas, aprons, headbands, and underwear
Related: Steps for trademarking a logo
Vamos Bears
In an apparent ode to their Hispanic fanbase, the Bears trademarked the slogan ‘Vamos Bears.’ The trademark application was filed in 2015 following its first use in 2012:
- Education and entertainment services such as professional football games and exhibitions; providing sports and entertainment information via a global computer network or a commercial online computer service or by cable, satellite, television, and radio; organizing football sporting and cultural events; fan club services
- Entertainment services, namely, fan clubs engaged in cheering, chanting, singing, and other motivational activities for entertainment, amusement, and recreation at professional football games, sports exhibitions, and other special events
Bear logo
The Bears’ logo, consisting of a head-on view of a roaring bear, was first registered in 1973, following its first use in 1960. It’s trademarked in the following categories:
- Entertainment services related to football exhibitions and media coverage of football matches
- Education and entertainment services, including exhibitions, football games, and competitions
- Cell phone covers, decorative magnets, and DVDs featuring the sport of football, computer game software, and mouse pads
- Jewelry, watches, clocks, ornamental lapel pins, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, jewelry charms, tie pins, collectible coins, commemorative coins of precious metal, and pendants
- Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, namely, fleece tops and bottoms, headwear, caps, knit hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, tank tops, sweaters, pants, jackets, golf shirts, knit shirts, jerseys, wristbands, warm-up suits, raincoats, parkas, gloves, ties, cloth bibs, sleepwear, namely, nightshirts and pajamas, aprons, headbands, and underwear
Da Bears
The ‘Da Bears’ brand has been used in marketing material and comedy skits for years, and some people also use it to refer to the team. The trademark was first registered in 2005 in the following categories:
- Education and entertainment services such as professional football games and exhibitions
- Providing sports and entertainment information via a global computer network, a commercial online computer service, or cable, satellite, television, or radio
- Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, namely, T-shirts
Bears Care
Bears Care is a charitable organization connected to the Chicago Bears. It was established as a fund of the Robert McCormick Foundation in 1995, which continued until Bears Care was incorporated as a non-profit organization. Bears Care focuses on improving the quality of life of those with disabilities, disadvantaged children, and their families through targeted awareness and educational support. They also assist people living with breast and ovarian cancer. Bears Care is responsible for around 25 million USD in donations. The Bears Care logo and trademark were registered in 2006 for use in:
- Charitable works and fundraising
Club Dub
The Chicago Bears trademarked the service mark ‘Club Dub’ in 2020, following its first use in 2018. It was trademarked for use in:
- Education and entertainment services such as professional football games and exhibitions; providing sports and entertainment information via a global computer network or a commercial online computer service or by cable, satellite, television, and radio
- Clothing, namely, shirts, hats, caps, T-shirts, jackets, and jerseys
- Entertainment services, namely, fan clubs engaged in cheering, chanting, singing, and other motivational activities for entertainment, amusement, and recreation at professional football games, sports exhibitions, and other special events
- Cloth towels
Bearsfit
In 2022, the Chicago Bears registered their new brand, Bearsfit. Bearsfit is a training facility and program launched in partnership with the Chicago Bears, and it also has a related merchandise brand. The Bearsfit name is trademarked for use in:
- Gym bags and backpacks
- Cloth towels
- Shirts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets
Monsters Of The Midway
The Monsters of the Midway is one of the most popular nicknames for the Chicago Bears, particularly during the 40s; the name would have a resurgence when they won the Super Bowl. It’s currently used in some popular branding and merchandise, so it was good to place it under trademark protection. Monsters of The Midway was officially registered in 2006 for use in:
- Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, namely, T-shirts
- Education and entertainment services such as professional football games and exhibitions; providing sports and entertainment information via a global computer network or a commercial online computer service, or by cable, satellite, television, or radio
Wrapping up
If you have a unique brand, you should use trademark law to protect it; the Chicago Bears are one of the oldest NFL teams, and almost nobody has the extensive history they do. Making it more crucial that their trademark rights are protected. Though there are only 35 registered trademarks, the most recent trademark application was submitted in 2022.
