SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth, the state’s new NHL franchise, has fired back at a trademark challenge from an Oregon-based company, arguing that being forced to abandon its name and logo could cripple the team’s finances and erase the goodwill it has built with fans in its debut season.
In documents filed Thursday in Utah’s U.S. District Court, the franchise said it has already spent more than $7 million on brand development — including merchandise, jerseys, graphics, and the creation of its woolly mammoth mascot, Tusky — and warned that starting over would cause “irreparable harm” to the team’s identity.
“Implausible the Team Would Recover”
According to court filings, team CFO John Larson estimated the Utah Mammoth’s branding value at over $100 million, citing data from Sportico that valued the franchise at $1.44 billion as of October 2025 — a $440 million increase from its purchase price just 18 months earlier.
Larson argued that an injunction halting use of the name “Utah Mammoth” would undo months of marketing momentum and alienate fans. “It is implausible the team would recover from having to adopt a new identity,” he said.
The lawsuit stems from a legal challenge by Mammoth Hockey LLC, an Oregon-based manufacturer of high-end hockey bags priced between $189 and $300. The company alleges the NHL team’s branding infringes on its existing trademark and has caused consumer confusion.
Utah Mammoth: Fans Aren’t Confused
The franchise disputes that claim. Citing a market study using “gold standard” methodology, the team said that only 0.7% of surveyed consumers were confused between the two brands — “a percentage so low it is compelling evidence confusion is unlikely.”
In filings, the team also emphasized the distinct differences between the two trademarks. The Utah Mammoth’s logo prominently includes the word “Utah,” an outline of the state within the mammoth head, and a unique color palette and font design that, according to the filing, “create distinctly different impressions.”
The team further noted that it never uses the word “Mammoth” alone on merchandise, unlike the Oregon bag company.
Millions in Sales, Tattoos, and Goodwill
Since launching the brand earlier this year, the Utah Mammoth says it has quickly become a fixture among fans — not only in Utah but across the country.
According to Larson’s court statement, fans have spent more than $500,000 on Mammoth merchandise by late September, with some even getting team tattoos featuring the mammoth head logo.
The team says it has invested more than $400,000 in player uniforms and gear, $250,000 on digital broadcast graphics, and $100,000 to design and debut its mascot.
“The effort to comply with an injunction — recalling merchandise, repainting arenas, removing signage, and redoing digital assets — would be extraordinarily burdensome,” the team wrote in its legal response.
Timing Dispute and Alleged Delay
The Utah Mammoth also accused Mammoth Hockey LLC and its owner, Erik Olson, of intentionally delaying their objection until just before the NHL season to maximize attention and disruption.
Court records include messages from Olson dating back to June 2024, when he appeared supportive of the new franchise name, writing to team officials that “it would be cool to talk about a possible collaboration,” even suggesting that his company could produce official team bags.
The team said Olson’s apparent change of stance came only after the season launch was imminent — months after the branding had been made public and voted on by fans.
“His delayed filing undermines claims of irreparable harm,” team attorneys wrote.
A Crowded “Mammoth” Marketplace
The filing also points out that multiple sports organizations already use the “Mammoth” name — including the Amherst Mammoths (Massachusetts), Westside Woolly Mammoths (Michigan), and Colorado Mammoth, a National Lacrosse League franchise.
“There is ample room in the marketplace for all these users of ‘Mammoth’ trademarks to coexist,” the Utah team’s filing said, adding that none of these entities have claimed harm.
What’s Next
The case now awaits a ruling from the Utah federal court on whether the Oregon company’s request for an injunction will be granted. If denied, the Utah Mammoth will retain its branding while the larger trademark dispute proceeds.
For now, the team continues to play under its current name, drawing strong attendance at Delta Center in Salt Lake City — and rallying fans under the banner of a franchise they say already feels like home.
