utah Mammoth Face Trademark Battle with Oregon Hockey Equipment Company
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Salt Lake City, UT – Less than 16 months after securing an NHL expansion franchise, the Utah Mammoth are embroiled in a legal dispute over their team name with Mammoth hockey LLC, a Portland, Oregon-based manufacturer of high-end hockey equipment bags.The conflict highlights the challenges facing the new franchise as it attempts to establish a permanent brand identity ahead of its inaugural season.
The Utah Mammoth,owned by 47-year-old billionaire ryan Smith,filed a federal lawsuit on July 1 seeking to resolve the trademark dispute. In response, Mammoth Hockey LLC filed a counterclaim on September 25, seeking an injunction against the NHL team in U.S. District Court in Utah. The team declined to comment on the counterclaim, but previously stated they “believe strongly that we have the right to use the name Utah Mammoth under federal and state law, and that our use will not harm the defendant or its business in any way.”
The Origins of Mammoth Hockey LLC
Mammoth Hockey LLC has been producing and selling hockey equipment bags since 2014, specializing in durable, high-quality products. According to legal filings, the bags are constructed from “heavy-duty resilient materials including 18-ounce truck tarp, pack cloth silver lining, seatbelt shoulder straps, and brass zippers with red paracord pulls,” and retail between $189 and $275.
Co-founders erik Olson and Lars Huschke chose the name “Mammoth” to evoke “strength, endurance and resilience due to the Ice Age animal’s size and ability to survive harsh conditions,” as stated in court documents.The company initially funded its design through Kickstarter
The Heart of the Dispute
The Utah Mammoth argue that their use of the name and logo does not infringe on Mammoth Hockey LLC’s rights. They point to the distinct nature of their business – a professional sports team – versus the equipment manufacturer. They also highlight the differences in their respective logos, asserting that consumers are unlikely to confuse the two. Furthermore, the NHL team emphasizes that Mammoth Hockey has not secured a federal trademark, limiting their protection to common law rights within a specific geographic area.
Mammoth Hockey, though, is seeking to prevent the NHL team from marketing and selling goods in the 47 states where they currently operate. They contend that their “first and continued commercial use” of the name grants them protectable trademark rights, and that the logos are “confusingly similar,” possibly causing consumer harm. In legal filings,the company also alleges that the Utah Mammoth’s widespread merchandise sales could lead customers to mistakenly believe they are purchasing the team’s goods when they are actually buying mammoth Hockey’s premium equipment bags – and vice versa.
A History of Trademark Hurdles
This isn’t the first trademark challenge for the Utah franchise. The team was initially forced to abandon its preferred name, “Yetis,” after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office raised concerns about potential confusion with the established YETI cooler brand. Attempts to negotiate a deal with YETI proved unsuccessful, prompting a fan vote in January 2025 between “Mammoth,” “Wasatch,” and “Utah Hockey Club.”
According to Mammoth Hockey’s legal filings,the team rushed to finalize a name and logo for the 2025-26 season without adequately investigating existing trademarks,unlike their approach with YETI. The filing alleges the team “hid their intentions to use the Mark and Logo from (Mammoth Hockey) because they had already decided to take them in time for the NHL season.”
What’s Next for the Mammoth Name?
Despite the legal challenge, most observers believe it is highly unlikely the NHL team will be forced to change its name.With their first regular-season game scheduled for October 9, the Utah Mammoth have too much invested in the branding to consider another rebrand. the costs – both financial and in terms of public perception – would be important.
A settlement between the two parties appears to be the most probable outcome, particularly given the disparity in resources between the NHL franchise and the small, niche equipment manufacturer. While the legal battle continues,the Utah Mammoth are preparing to take the ice with a name that,for now,remains contested.
