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The Club, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have recently filed a number of trademarks for use outside the WWE.
The following trademarks were filed by Luke Gallows under his company Wrestlemerica, LLC on 1/19/19.
- Doc Gallows
- Talk’N’Shop
- Big LG
- Good Brothers
- Good Brother
- Biz Cliz
The following trademarks were files by Karl Anderson under his company MG Karl Anderson, LLC on 1/18/19
- Karl Anderson
- Machine Gun
- Hot Asian Wife
The WWE had previously filed a trademark for the name Karl Anderson, which was abandoned.
The WWE attempted to renew the trademark, but it was contested by the trademark office.
The trademark office sent WWE legal a letter on 1/24 indicating the name Karl Anderson was identifying a personal name. This was sent regardless of Karl Anderson’s real name being Chad Karl Allegra.
The refusal is based on how KARL ANDERSON appears on the specimens of record. It is well established that an individual’s name is registrable as a service mark if that name is used in a manner that would be perceived by consumers as identifying the services in addition to identifying the person.
The refusal to register because the applied-for mark, as used on the specimen of record, is a personal name that identifies only the name of a specific individual is continued and made FINAL; it does not function as a service mark to identify and distinguish applicant’s services from those of others and to indicate the source of applicant’s services.
The WWE is currently opposing refusal, and has revived the application.
Prior to the WWE trademarking personal names, they have talent sign IP Consent forms, which allows the company to use the name for goods and services.
The WWE had Karl Anderson sign an IP consent form on 2/28/16, shortly after he was signed to the company.
The WWE had not sent the trademark office a new IP consent form, and since their original filing was abandoned, Karl Anderson was able to trademark the name himself.
This may cause issues when the trademark office notices both names attempting to be filed at the same time as it will flag the system.
Both Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows contracts with WWE end this summer, and the new filings are for use for their own merchandise, which they are selling on Pro Wrestling Tees.
There is no word whether these new trademarks will cause any friction between The Club and the WWE.