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Two years ahead of their move to Nevada, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied the A's' request to trademark the names "Las Vegas Athletics" and "Vegas Athletics."
The A's were told the nickname "Athletics" was too generic and could be confused with other activities, even if associated with Las Vegas. That, however, has been the club's nickname since the Philadelphia Athletics began playing in 1901.
The club has three months from when the refusals were issued Dec. 29 to ask for an extension to file a new application within a six-month period.
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(L-R) Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Las Vegas), U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), President Marc Badain of the Athletics, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, principal owner John Fisher of the Athletics, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Steve Hill and Clark County (Nev.) Commission Chairman Jim Gibson participate in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the USD 1.75 billion, 33,000-seat domed stadium for MLB's Athletics on June 23, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
A $2 billion, 33,000-capacity stadium on the Las Vegas Strip is under construction. Club officials told the Las Vegas Stadium Authority on Dec. 4 that the ballpark is on schedule to open for the 2028 season.
This is hardly the first roadblock the A's have hit since even considering going to Vegas. Originally hoping to play there in 2027, lawmakers failed to pass the budget bill that included more than $1 billion to fund capital improvement projects for state public works and construction during the summer of 2023. That came shortly after the team had to abandon the original location for its stadium before finding a new one.
Two years ago, former Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman even admitted that the team's plans for a stadium did "not make sense," and the team should "figure out a way to stay in Oakland."
The A's played their final game in Oakland in 2024 before moving to Sacramento. They currently play at the Triple-A stadium of their former crosstown rival, the San Francisco Giants.
The Oakland Athletics and their design teams released renderings Tuesday, March 5, 2024, of the club's planned $1.5 billion stadium in Las Vegas that show five overlapping layers with a similar look to the famous Sydney Opera House. (Negativ via AP)
They relocated to West Sacramento, California, last year to play the first of three planned seasons in the city's Triple-A ballpark. The team goes solely by "Athletics" while playing in the Northern California city.
Nevada and Clark County have approved up to $380 million in public funds for the ballpark, and the A's have said they will cover the remaining expenses. Owner John Fisher has been seeking investors to help fund the project.
In preparing for the move to Las Vegas, the A's have signed some notable contracts. The most recent was an $86 million, seven-year deal for left fielder Tyler Soderstrom, the richest in team history. They also acquired second baseman Jeff McNeil from the New York Mets on Dec. 22.
FILE - This rendering provided by the Oakland Athletics on May 26, 2023, shows a view of their proposed new ballpark at the Tropicana site in Las Vegas. Major League Baseball laid out a detailed process to approve the Oakland Athletics move to Las Vegas, which appears set to become the second shift of a franchise in the last half-century. (Oakland Athletics via AP, File)
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Going back to last offseason, the A's also reached agreements on a $60 million, five-year contract with designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker and a $65.5 million, seven-year deal with outfielder Lawrence Butler. Manager Mark Kotsay signed an extension that takes him through 2028, with a club option for 2029, while Nick Kurtz is the reigning American League Rookie of the Year.
The Patent and Trademark Office denied the NHL's Utah team to use the nickname "Yetis" last year because of potential confusion with companies such as Yeti Coolers. Utah, which moved from the Phoenix area in 2024, now uses the nickname "Mammoth."
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