Caleb Williams' bid to trademark 'Iceman' runs into a boot company
The Bears quarterback's application to trademark his nickname was initially refused after the patent office flagged a footwear brand that has owned the name since 1988.
Caleb Williams wanted to put his nickname on hats, shirts and water bottles. A boot company beat him to it by about 38 years. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has initially refused the Bears quarterback's application to trademark 'Iceman,' citing a 'likelihood of confusion' with a mark that Oregon footwear maker LaCrosse has held since 1988.
Why was the trademark refused?
The USPTO pointed to an existing 'Iceman' trademark that LaCrosse Footwear registered back in 1988 for insulated boots. In its refusal, the office wrote that the two marks 'are identical in appearance, sound and meaning,' which creates a likelihood that shoppers would confuse one for the other. Williams had filed broadly, seeking the name for clothing such as shirts, hats and pants, plus athletic bags, water bottles, sporting goods, and website and entertainment services. The clothing categories are where the boot trademark causes the most trouble. A separate application Williams filed for an 'Iceman' logo is still under initial review. The refusal was reported on June 25.
Where did the 'Iceman' nickname even come from?
Teammates pinned it on Williams last season, a nod to his cool demeanor under pressure. Williams has noted that Chicago's long stretch of frigid weather doesn't exactly fight the branding either. The funny part is that he wasn't a fan at first and figured there were cooler nicknames out there before he eventually embraced it. He also admitted he didn't realize NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin already wore the 'Iceman' label long before him. Williams said the whole point of filing was to control 'what's being made and put out' under his name, rather than letting other people sell Iceman gear without his say.
Can Williams still get it?
Quite possibly, yes. An initial refusal is not the end of the road, and Williams can appeal. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben suggested that while the clothing registration may stay tangled up with the boot mark, other categories in the application could still go through. The pending logo application gives him another avenue too. So Iceman merch isn't off the table, it's just stuck in line behind a 1988 boot. For now, the rest of Williams' offseason carries on as the Bears head into Year 2 of his career under new coach Ben Johnson.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Caleb Williams' attempt to trademark 'Iceman' initially refused
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