By Tim Binnall
Cryptozoology fans hoping that Utah's new NHL team would adopt the name 'Yeti' may have had their hopes dashed due to some trademark trouble. Currently known as the Utah Hockey Club, the organization has been narrowing down potential monikers since moving to Salt Lake City from Arizona last year. A fan vote conducted in the spring resulted in six final contenders with 'Yeti' appearing to be the overwhelming favorite. Since a second poll closed in late June, the team has been conspicuously quiet about which moniker came out on top. While 'Yeti' has largely been seen as something of a fait accompli, with players and even the general manager informally using the name, a recent trademark rejection has cast doubt upon that assumption.
Specifically, the United States Patent and Trademark Office reportedly shot down the team's application to use 'Yeti' on a vast array of clothing items that would have been sold as official merchandise. Their reasoning for the rejection was to avoid marketplace confusion as the cooler company Yeti already possesses such rights. Alas, their decision also struck down the possibility of simply adding 'Utah' to the name as well as the pluralization of 'Yeti.' Fortunately, the team's attempt at procuring the cryptid moniker is not over just yet as they have three months to appeal the ruling and make the case for why they should be allowed to share it with the cooler company.