LSU forward athlete Angel Reese’s application to trademark her nickname “Bayou Barbie” was recently rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Angel Reese has been denied the trademark for her nickname “Bayou Barbie,” and the deadline to challenge the decision has passed.https://t.co/4bpfKbbvp8 pic.twitter.com/jkY4O6XL7d
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 22, 2024
Reese, widely lauded in the sports world for her accomplishments, sought to increase her brand recognition by trademarking her popular nickname.
However, the USPTO, in a November ruling, denied Reese’s application citing a “likelihood of confusion.”
The heart of the ruling is rooted in the assumption that a “reasonable consumer” may mistakenly believe that products branded with either BARBIE or BAYOU BARBIE originate from the same company.
This perceived confusion led to the refusal of Reese’s trademark application.
Adding to the complexities, the 90-day deadline for appealing the decision has passed, as reported by On3, thus closing the window for any immediate recourse.
Recognizing the potential for conflict with Mattel, NIL lawyer Darren Heitner responded sagely. Heitner, who represented Reese in the trademark attempt, declined further comment after posting on X (formerly known as Twitter): “…the appropriate business decision was made to simply let the application abandon.”
“We discussed internally and determined that it was in Angel’s best interest to not unnecessarily instigate Mattel. While initially it seemed worthy to obtain the registration, Angel has pivoted away from selling Bayou Barbie merchandise. As such, the appropriate business decision was made to simply let the application abandon,”
Despite the trademark setback, Reese has not taken her foot off the gas pedal. She can still use her nickname “Bayou Barbie,” but cannot profit from name, image, and likeness merchandise bearing the nickname.
Even without the trademark, the denial has not hampered Reese’s standing as a profitable NIL athlete in college sports.
She continues to rake in endorsement deals from heavyweights like Reebok, Airbnb, Amazon, and Beats by Dre.
