The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and have been in the league since 1989. The team was founded as an expansion team and is a member of the Western Conference Northwest Division.
One of the biggest achievements in the history of the Timberwolves was making it to the Western Conference Finals in 2004, where they were ultimately defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Timberwolves have a talented roster that includes players such as Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, and Anthony Edwards.
Some of the most notable players in the history of the Timberwolves include Kevin Garnett, who spent the majority of his career with the team and led them to their first playoff appearance in 1997. Garnett was also named NBA Most Valuable Player during the 2004 season. Other notable players include Stephon Marbury, who played for the Timberwolves from 1996-1999, and Latrell Sprewell, who played for the team from 2003-2005.
Overall, the Minnesota Timberwolves have had a mix of ups and downs throughout their history, but they have a dedicated fan base and a promising roster of young players who will look to lead the team back to success in the future.
Famous Minnesota Timberwolves trademarks
The Minnesota Timberwolves own a variety of trademarks and intellectual property, which support their commercial efforts and colorful team history. Despite having over 50 registered trademarks with the UPSTO, a large portion of their portfolio exclusively applies to their team logo. But, they do have some other interesting trademarks. Let’s take a look:
Minnesota Timberwolves
The first and most important trademark the Minnesota Timberwolves needed to ensure was protected was the team name. Registration for this intellectual property was first registered back in 1988 and applies to:
- Clothing, namely T-shirts, hosiery, footwear, sweatshirts, sweatpants, and jerseys
- Entertainment services, including conducting and promoting basketball competitions or exhibitions
- Trading cards for basketball, dance teams, mascots, and entertainment
- Stickers, decals, commemorative basketball stamps, and trading card milk bottle caps
- Postcards, note cards, memo pads, ballpoint pens, and pencils
- 3-ring binders, stationery folders, wire-bound notebooks, and portfolio notebooks
- Children’s activity books, statistical books, guide books, and reference books for basketball
- Newsletters and pamphlets in the field of basketball for distribution to the television and radio media
Wolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves Basketball Limited Partnership also registered wordmarks for the phrase “Wolves”. Registration for this intellectual property was first registered back in 1988 and applies to:
- Clothing, namely T-shirts
- Conducting and promoting professional basketball competitions or exhibitions
Related: Registering a generic word trademark
Current Minnesota Timberwolves logo
The current Minnesota Timberwolves logo features a fierce wolf’s head with sharp teeth and piercing eyes, appearing to howl. The wolf is encased in a circle with the team’s name “Timberwolves” written in bold, blue letters, and also features a background of a basketball within the circle. The wolf’s head is colored in shades of blue and grey, with green eyes. The point of the basket also features a green star. The logo is meant to represent the team’s fierce, competitive spirit and the strength and resilience of the wolf.
The logo has undergone several minor updates and revisions over the years, but the wolf has remained a central feature. It is a popular and well-recognized symbol among Minnesota Timberwolves fans and is often seen on team jerseys, merchandise, and other team branding materials.
This logo is the most extensively registered trademark for the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was first registered in 2018 by Minnesota Timberwolves Basketball Limited Partnership and applies to:
- Audio and video recordings featuring entertainment and information relating to basketball
- Audio, video, and computer laser discs
- Computer accessories, including USB drives, computer stands, laptops and tablet computers, protective sleeves, mouse pads, computer mice, compact disc cases, and wrist rests
- Battery chargers for mobile phones
- Computer software, including screen savers featuring basketball themes and to access and view computer wallpaper
- Video game software, video game cartridges, radios, speakers, headphones, and earbuds
- Wireless telephones, telephones, cell phone accessories, headsets, face plates, and cell phone covers
- Electronic accessories, including electronic apparatus skins for MP3 players, electronic tablets, and portable digital assistant devices
- Video monitors, computer monitors
- Eyewear and eyewear accessories, including straps and chains for eyewear movement and cases
- Downloadable electronic publications in the natures of magazines, newsletters, coloring books, game schedules in basketball
- Downloadable greeting cards provided over the internet
- Jewelry, including costume jewelry, earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, cufflinks, pendants, charms for collar jewelry, and bracelets
- Clocks, watches, watch bands and watch straps, watch cases, watch fobs
- Tie clips, medallions, non-monetary coins of precious metal, key chains, trophies, figures and figurines, and key rings
- Trading cards, stickers, decals, temporary tattoo transfers, commemorative basketball stamps, collectible cardboard trading discs
- Memo boards, clipboards, paper coasters, postcards, ballpoint pens, felt tip markers, rubber bands, pens and pencils, pen and pencil cases
- 3-ring binders, stationery folders, wire-bound notebooks, and portfolio notebooks
- Children’s activity books, statistical books, guide books, and reference books for basketball
- Informational statistical sheets for basketball topics, newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, and game schedules
- Credit cards, gift cards, and telephone calling cards
- Bags, such as athletic, shoe, handbags, overnight, backpacks, knapsacks, duffels, totes, beach bags, drawstring pouches, gym, and all-purpose sports bags
- Pillows and seat cushions, portable and folding stadium seats and cushions
- Picture frames, wall plaques made of wood or plastic, wooden signboards
- Furniture, including bedroom furniture, juvenile furniture, bean bag chairs, chairs and tools, tables, and portable folding sports seats and stools
- Glassware, kitchenware, and homeware
- Drinking straws, laundry hampers, and piggy banks
- Garden gnomes
- Cloth banners, wall hangings, and fabric pennants
- Bath and house linens
- Clothing, including dresses, ponchos, raincoats, overalls, suspenders, nightgowns, mittens, gloves, scarves, hosiery, and footwear
- Toys, games, and sporting goods
- Retail store services
- Audio, television, and radio broadcasting
- 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
- Entertainment services in the nature of personal appearances by a costumed mascot or dance team at basketball games and exhibitions
Wrapping up
Registering your trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will help protect your intellectual property. The Minnesota Timberwolves have an extensive portfolio of intellectual property that has been protected. In 2022, the franchise had an estimated value of $1.67 billion, a growth of 8%. This pattern of growth shows how vital it is that the Timberwolves continue to protect their IP and brand.
Some of the other aspects of the Timberwolves brand are also trademarked, including T-Wolves Gaming, an e-sports team affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Other areas to expand their trademark portfolio could be through community programs and philanthropic efforts or trademarking the name and likeness of their team mascot.
Currently, the Timberwolves have over 50 filed and registered trademarks with USPTO. Its loyal and dedicated fan base and year-on-year growth open more opportunities to expand beyond its current portfolio.
