Statement on Trademark Law
Understanding Trademark Law: What Every Disc Golfer Should Know
At MVP, we strive to be the Leading Edge in disc golf. As such, we have a lot of ideas and innovations that are integral to building and sustaining the value of our brand. To protect that value, MVP – like every business – relies on trademarks.
As this is a topic we receive questions on from time to time, we want to take a moment to educate our community about trademark law. Whether you’re starting a new disc golf brand or launching a unique product line, or just a curious player, it’s important to know how trademarks work to avoid running into legal issues down the road.
What is a Trademark?
A trademark is any name, logo, slogan, or symbol used to identify and distinguish goods or services of one brand from another. In disc golf, this could include a company name, disc name, plastic name, player name, artwork stamped on a disc, or any other unique name being used on a disc or other product. Think of a trademark as a way for customers to know exactly where that product is coming from, and as something to provide trust that it meets their expectations of what they know that brand represents.
Common Law vs. Registered Trademarks
There are two primary types of trademarks:
- Common Law Trademarks
- A common law trademark is automatically created when a company uses a name, logo, or slogan in connection with its goods or services, even without a formal trademark registration.
- For example, if a company starts selling a new product with a new name without filing for trademark registration, there is still a high level of trademark protection under common law trademark rights.
- Registered Trademarks
- Registered trademarks are trademarks that are filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and officially approved.
- Registered trademarks tend to provide additional benefits, including visibility in the USPTO search platforms and access to more effective legal tools for enforcing those rights.
MVP’s Trademark Portfolio
At MVP, we have built a very broad portfolio of trademarks—some of which are registered, some are pending registration, and others are common law trademarks that have years of extensive use globally. This means that we actively protect the names, logos, and designs that represent our products and brand to ensure consistency and authenticity for our customers.
Why Enforcement Matters
Trademark law places the responsibility on trademark holders—like MVP—to enforce their rights. If we don’t take action to address conflicting or unauthorized uses of our trademarks, we risk losing our exclusive rights to them. Enforcement isn’t about stopping creativity—it’s about preventing customer confusion and protecting the value we’ve invested and built in our brands.
Avoiding Trademark Conflicts: A Call to All Disc Golf Companies
We encourage all companies in the disc golf industry to perform a trademark search before launching new brands, discs, or designs. This includes searching for both:
- Registered trademarks (available through the USPTO database)
- Common law trademarks, which may require checking online stores, websites, and other sources where a name or logo might already be in use.
Taking these steps will help you avoid costly trademark disputes and ensure that your brand stands out in its own way.
In Conclusion
Trademark law can seem complicated, but at its core, it’s about protecting creativity and ensuring customers know who made the products they love. At MVP, we take our trademarks seriously to protect our brand and our customers. We encourage others in the disc golf industry to do the same by conducting thorough trademark searches before launching new products. This will help avoid conflicts, legal headaches, and ensure the industry continues to grow with unique and original identities.
If you have any questions about trademark law or want to learn more about our portfolio of trademarks, please see our Intellectual Property page or reach out to our customer service team for support.
