The U.S. Army is officially opposing The Vegas Golden Knights' trademark, stating that the NHL's team name could be damaging to the military brand, SB Nation reported.
A formal opposition was filed with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office on Wednesday against the NHL franchise's use of the Golden Knights name.
The dispute arose last year, when the newly franchised NHL team unveiled its name and logos after filing to trademark other options, ESPN noted.
The Army opposed the name and branding in September 2017, citing similar team name and color pattern as a trademark infringement.
At the time, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted 30 days to anyone to oppose and the Army received an extension until Wednesday.
That day has come and gone and the Army has filed another notice of opposition listing three grounds of opposition: confusion, dilution by blurring and "false suggestion of a connection with persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or brings them into contempt, or disrepute," according to SportsLogos.Net.
The Army said it had used the Golden Knights name in connection to the U.S. Army Parachute Team since 1969 and expressed concerns that it could be "damaged" by the NHL's registration of the trademark.
The complaint further noted that the Army owned "common law rights in color scheme black+gold/yellow+white," ESPN reported.
The Vegas Golden Knights responded on Thursday with a statement in which it denied the allegations.
"We strongly dispute the Army's allegations that confusion is likely between the Army Golden Knights parachute team and the Vegas Golden Knights major-league hockey team," the statement said, per SB nation. "The two entities have been coexisting without any issues for over a year (along with several other Golden Knights trademark owners) and we are not aware of a single complaint from anyone attending our games that they were expecting to see the parachute team and not a professional hockey game."
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