The Cleveland Cavaliers submitted paperwork to trademark the fan-favorite phrase “Cavalanche.” According to the USPTO, the filing was made on Wednesday, the same day the Cavs won 112-107 at home over the Miami Heat to become the first team to punch a ticket to the playoffs this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Trademark Application Has Been Accepted By The USPTO, Has Not Yet Been Assigned To An Examiner
The USPTO’s TM5 Common Status Descriptor states that “the trademark application has been accepted by the Office (has met the minimum filing requirements) and has not yet been assigned to an examiner.” The filing stated it would also be used for clothing items ahead of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The phrase is now popular among the Cleveland faithful this campaign, as the Cavs have already reached 50 wins this regular season for the first time since the 2022-23 season.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers’ decision to trademark “Cavalanche” has sparked debate among sports fans, particularly from the University of Virginia (UVA), whose men’s basketball team (also named the Cavaliers) popularized the term in the early 2010s.
College basketball fans might be wondering why the university does not own the trademark. The school never made a move to file. The Virginia Cavaliers, representing UVA, compete at the NCAA Division I level.
University Of Virginia Never Trademarked “Cavalanche”
UVA made the mistake of never pursuing the trademark in the first place. Trademark registrations are necessary in the modern world today, and trademarks operate on a “use it or lose it” system, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben.
Since UVA never officially applied for a trademark, this means any individual, group, sports team, or organization can still use the term freely whenever. Registering a trademark grants the owner exclusive rights to use it for commercial purposes, including branding and merchandise sales.
Even if neither the Cleveland Cavaliers nor Cavs Nation coined “Cavalanche,” they could eventually own the exclusive rights to use that particular phrase for their basketball team.
This news comes as Cleveland is a league-best 20-6 in clutch games this season. The Cavs are seeking their first NBA championship since 2016 and their first in franchise history without LeBron James.