New NHL Franchise in Utah Faces Legal Challenge Over Name
The new NHL franchise in Utah is facing a new legal challenge related to its team name. Mammoth Hockey LLC, an Oregon-based hockey equipment bag manufacturer, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court in Utah. The purpose of this motion is to “protect its established brand against use by the new NHL franchise in Utah, which adopted the name ‘Utah Mammoth’ on May 7, 2025.” This motion, filed on September 25, is a counterclaim against the owners of the Utah Mammoth. Uyte and Smith Entertainment Group Hockey filed a motion on August 1 to end any trademark dispute with Mammoth Hockey LLC, who, they said, had threatened to litigate since the NHL team was officially named. The NHL team was known as the Utah Hockey Club in its inaugural 2024-25 season after SEG purchased and relocated the former Arizona Coyotes franchise to Salt Lake City. The team was renamed Utah Mammoth after more than 850,000 votes were cast by fans in multiple rounds of voting to determine the name. Mammoth won the vote over Utah Outlaws and Utah Hockey Club. Mammoth Hockey was founded in 2014 by Erik Olson and Lars Huschke. The company claimed that the NHL team’s nickname has created “confusion” and “undermines” its brand identity, arguing that online searches for “Mammoth hockey bags” now direct users to the NHL team’s store first. Mammoth Hockey also sells jerseys, caps, and water bottles.The team stated in May that the names in the final voting group were free of trademark issues.Mammoth Hockey argues that the Utah Mammoth knew of its use of the trademark for a long time, but never sought an agreement, unlike other brands whose names were considered, including Yeti, when similar conflicts arose.
Statement from Mammoth Hockey LLC
