In today’s Ticker: A bizarre MLB trademark application, lots of uni number news, and more.
Uni Watch News Ticker for March 23, 2023
Posted in:
Baseball
MLB
- Here’s one writer’s ranking of MLB team names. (From Kurt Esposito)
- WTF: The Red Sox, Brewers, and Astros have all filed applications to trademark their respective city names. (From James Shannahan)
Minors
- The Midland RockHounds, the Athletics’ Double-A affiliate, have a new costumed mascot: Chip the Rock Hammer. (From Kary Klismet)
- Grand Canyon University has white lettering on its caps but white/purple lettering on its batting helmets — a weird mismatch. (From Chris Mycoskie)
- The High-A Hudson Valley Renegades’ ballpark has a new advertised name. (From George Kassimis)
Football
NFL
- Some new uni number assignments for the Steelers.
- WR Juju Smith-Schuster wore No. 9 with Kansas City but will apparently have a different uni number now that he’s signed with the Pats.
College
- New uni number assignments for Texas Tech and Notre Dame.
- Speaking of uni numbers, Colorado is starting spring practice with blank jerseys, because new head coach Deion Sanders says the players have to “earn” the numbers. (From Kary Klismet)
More
- A Nebraska man is cutting the logos out of old footballs and sewing them onto ballcaps. (From Greg Mays)
Hockey
NHL
- The Caps are the latest DC team to go with cherry blossom-themed jerseys, which they’ll wear for pregame warm-ups on April 2. (Thanks to all who shared)
- New mask for Rangers G Igor Shesterkin. (From Alan Kreit)
- Yesterday’s Ticker included a link to this FAQ piece by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski about the new NHL/Fanatics deal. In case you didn’t read it, it included the news that the league will not be bringing back Reverse Retro.
Minors/Juniors
- The AHL’s Belleville Senators will dress like the OHL’s Belleville Bulls — an old major junior team — this Saturday. (From Wade Heidt)
More
- The U. of Minnesota is changing its rink dimensions from Olympic-sized to NHL-sized. (From Kary Klismet)
Basketball
College
- As you’ve probably heard, former NBA great Willis Reed died earlier this week. Here’s some early-1960s footage of him playing college ball at Grambling, whose jerseys at the time were basically white sleeved T-shirts with simple numbers on the front and back. (Thanks, Jerry)
- Here’s what happens to obsolete Kentucky men’s jerseys after the team makes a design change.
- Here’s the court design for the Women’s Final Four. (From John Marmet)
- The higher-seeded team at the NIT usually wears white, but No. 4 Cincinnati chose to wear black last night against unseeded Utah Valley. (From Chris Mycoskie)
Soccer
USA
- New first shirt for the NWSL’s Racing Louisville and Orlando Pride. (Thanks, Jamie)
- New shirt
sponsoradvertiser for the Columbus Crew 2.
International
- Germany has a new second shirt for the Women’s World Cup. (Thanks, Jamie)
- More Women’s World Cup kit releases here.
- Spain: Real Betis of La Liga have unveiled a “sustainability” alternate kit made of 100% recycled polyester. (From Kary Klismet)
Grab Bag
- New uniform guidelines for the U.S. Air Force.
- New logo for the social justice group the Southern Poverty Law Center.
- The American Ultimate Disc League has released new kits for 2023. Here are threads showing the new designs for teams in the East, West, Central, and South divisions.
- If you like our “Can of the Day” feature, you’ll love this Instagram post featuring 59 beautiful old German pharmaceutical boxes. (From Mary Bakija)
- New logo for the city of Akron, Ohio. (From Jonathan Dies)
- New logo for the Canadian Space Agency.
- Students at George Washington University are being asked for their input on the school’s new team name. (From Kary Klismet)
- New team names and proposed logos for two new high schools in Wichita Falls, Tex. (From Kary Klismet)
- The Vancouver Warriors of the National Lacross League have a new costumed mascot. (From Kary Klismet)
- The school board in Union, Mo., has altered its “U” logo slightly after being told that the previous version looked too much like the University of Miami’s logo.
- At a community meeting in Foxboro, Mass., students and residents spoke out for and against the idea of changing the local high school’s “Warriors” team name and Indian-head logo. One resident opposed to making any changes said, “It’s not just a logo, it’s a way of life,” which seems a bit ridiculous no matter which side of the issue you’re on.
- Belmont High School in Massachusetts has chosen a new logo and mascot — a red fox — after previously deciding to keep its “Red Raiders” team name but eliminate the associated Native American imagery. (From Kary Klismet)
- Fort Pickett in Virginia is the first U.S. Army base to drop its Confederacy-based name. (From Timmy Donahue)
Comments (16)
The Crew shirt ad is for the reserve team – Columbus Crew 2
Thanks, Ed. Fixed.
The headline for the article on MLB teams filing trademark applications with their city names says that the Brewers are one of the teams. The headline should have said “Mariners”.
A team filing a trademark application for the city name in the context of baseball goods and services doesn’t deserve WTF treatment. But a USPTO granting of trademark protection for a city name would absolutely be a WTF moment. As the article explains:
“Trademark law expert Alexandra Roberts predicts the applications will face legal hurdles, in part because a city name isn’t essential to the nature of a baseball team. Roberts, a Northeastern University law professor and author of “Athlete Trademarks: Names, Nicknames, & Catchphrases” essay in the Handbook of American Sports Law, explained the Red Sox’ application is “likely to be met with a failure to function refusal, because the specimens submitted show only ornamental use of ‘Boston,’ not use as a source indicator.” Failure to function occurs when a mark doesn’t distinguish a good or service; the word “Boston” here arguably does not provide such a distinction.”
Not sure if it was covered in pass tickers and I missed it, but Utah has a new state flag. Big upgrade as it is now a recognizable design as opposed to just the state seal like so many other flags.
link
I don’t know what else to say beyond those MLB nickname rankings are very bad.
I tend to think it gets a lot of the relative order of names right, but seemingly by accident. The author establishes no standards of evaluation. The very top of the list rewards one name for being locally apt, another name for being famously the name of the team, and another despite having absolutely no connection to its locality at all but the author thinks it’s a cool word. Which is it? Is this a list of the most locally apt or clever team names, or a list of the most famous team names. or a list of the author’s favorite words that happen to be team names?
On the city-name trademarks – so are the Red Sox going to be able to control all baseball-related activities (or even just MLB-related activities) – including how the Boston Braves are put into the public sphere?
The city name trademark story reminds when Hawkeye Pierce said he’s going to get the copyright to Webster’s Dictionary….he would then would own EVERY novel ever written. Not the same…but just as disturbing.
The Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL got new uniforms for the 2nd season of the league. Would love to see you have to admit there is a second season of something you mocked. link
I absolutely love uni-watch but am bummed that I can’t but a uni-watch cap anywhere. If you have one that are you willing to sell could you message me please? Thank you
Coming back soon!
Hey Paul,
This is really exciting news because I have been wanting one for the longest time, especially for baseball season! Do you know when you are expected to have the uni-watch hats available? Any chance people can preorder? Thank you
No pre-orders yet. But stay tuned!
If you are going to use compass bearings for your division names, keep in mind that Central does not appear on a compass. North does -so use it!!!!
Hide Park Apparel. Easiest hat I ever ordered. Can’t wait for it to get here.