Source: BroBible
Summary
The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals are disputing the WNBA’s trademark application for the phrase “The W”. The WNBA filed the application on March 26, 2025, for use on sportswear, but the Cubs and Nationals claim it could cause confusion among the public. The two MLB teams have had their own iconic “W” logos for decades. Major League Baseball is reportedly trying to resolve the conflict with the NBA and WNBA.
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The Cubs and Nationals are fighting to own the letter “W”. The WNBA wants to use it for sportswear, but the MLB teams are like, “Uh, no, we had it first.” The WNBA had previously filed a different trademark application for “The W” that the MLB teams didn’t contest, but this one is different. Apparently, the MLB wants to set “clear boundaries” to distinguish their trademarks. Because, you know, the public might get confused between a basketball team and a baseball team.
Author: Evan Null
Trademark Troubles
The Cubs and Nationals are disputing the WNBA’s trademark application for the phrase “The W”.
A Long History
The Chicago Cubs have had their iconic win flag, a blue “W” on a white background, since the 1930s, while the Washington Nationals use a stylized “W” as their main logo.
Clear Boundaries
Major League Baseball is reportedly trying to resolve the conflict with the NBA and WNBA by setting “clear boundaries” to distinguish their trademarks.
A Previous Application
The WNBA had previously filed a different trademark application for “The W” that the MLB teams didn’t contest.
An Expert Weighs In
Trademark law expert Josh Gerben said Major League Baseball likely didn’t oppose the previous trademark application since it was “specifically related to basketball.”
