Panthers File Trademark for ONE CAROLINA Promotional Slogan

Super Bowl 50 is only days away and the Carolina Panthers are using the slogan and hashtag One Carolina to get fans in both North and South Carolina excited for the game. The slogan seems to be gaining wide appeal, and the Mecklenburg County commissioners even want to designate Super Bowl Sunday as "One Carolina Day."

But it was the team itself that filed a federal trademark application for the term on January 27th. The official owner of the mark is listed as Panthers Stadium, LLC, which is the owner/operator of Bank of America Stadium and is owned by the team's legal entity, Panther Football, LLC. The team filed the application in three different classes:

• Class 016 for "posters";
• Class 025 for "shirts"; and
• Class 041 for "entertainment in the nature of football games; Organisation of sports events in the field of football"

The application was filed on an intent-to-use basis, so the team will still need to submit specimens showing actual use of ONE CAROLINA on the goods and services listed in the application before the trademark will register. However, if it does so the team's priority date in the phrase will relate back to the filing date of the application. In other words, be cautious selling goods related to posters or shirts (and don't organize football games) with the phrase ONE CAROLINA. The team is seeking exclusive, nationwide rights in the phrase, which is understandable considering the phrase is associated with the goodwill generated by the team and its impressive run this season.

The Panthers also filed a federal trademark application for PURRFECT earlier in January.