Brand names for sports
Fans follow teams and athletes through video, photos and live updates, so claim one name on the .com and those platforms. Keep Olympic words out of the name.
Which platforms should a sports brand claim?
The .com, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X, plus a trademark check.
| Platform | Why claim it | Cost to join | Sign-up takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com | Schedules, tickets and your email address | $11.08 a year | 5 to 15 min |
| Game photos and Reels | Free | 5 to 15 min | |
| YouTube | Highlights and full games | Free | 5 to 10 min |
| TikTok | Short clips and skills | Free | 5 to 15 min |
| X | Live scores and game-day news | Free | 5 to 15 min |
| Trademarks | Protects the name on all of them | From $350 a class (US) | 1 to 2 hours to file |
Sources [1]
Checks the .com, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Trademarks in one search.
Which domain endings suit sports?
Get the .com if you can. Sports endings start under $6, and .club renews cheapest at $15.96 a year.
| Ending | First year | Each year after |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $11.08 | $11.08 |
| .golf | $4.63 | $58.19 |
| .team | $4.63 | $32.44 |
| .club | $4.12 | $15.96 |
| .run | $4.12 | $25.23 |
| .fitness | $5.66 | $34.50 |
These are Porkbun's prices; other registrars differ. More in Which domain ending should I pick?[9]
Which trademark classes cover a sports brand?
Class 41 covers sporting activities, such as sports events, competitions, coaching and sport camps. Add class 28 for equipment and class 25 for clothing.
| Class | WIPO covers | For a sports brand |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Education, training, entertainment, sporting activities | Events, competitions, coaching, camps |
| 28 | Games, toys, gymnastic and sporting articles | Balls, golf clubs, equipment |
| 25 | Clothing, footwear, headwear | Team clothing, sports shoes |
| 35 | Advertising, business management, office functions | Sponsorship of sports events |
Each extra class adds $350 in the US, €50 to €150 in the EU and £60 in the UK. Read Do I need a trademark before I launch? before you file.[2, 6, 7, 8]
Can you use "Olympic" in a sports brand name?
Not without permission in the US or the UK. In the US, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee has the exclusive right to "Olympic", "Paralympic" and related words. It can sue over their use in trade.
| Protected | US | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Words | Olympic, Olympiad, Paralympic, Paralympiad, Pan-American, Parapan American | Olympic, Olympiad, Olympian, Paralympic, Paralympiad, Paralympian, and plurals |
| Mottos | Citius Altius Fortius; America Espirito Sport Fraternite | Citius, altius, fortius |
| Breached by | Use for trade or to promote sales | Use in the course of trade |
In the UK, a word similar enough to suggest a link with the Games also infringes. The US makes narrow exceptions, such as businesses in western Washington named after the Olympic Mountains.[3, 4, 5]
Sources (9)
- PrimaryZero To 1000's platform catalog: costs and sign-up times from each platform's own pages; domain prices from Porkbun's price list
- PrimaryWIPO: Nice Classification, NCL 13-2026
- PrimaryCornell LII: 36 U.S. Code § 220506
- Primarylegislation.gov.uk: Olympic Symbol etc. (Protection) Act 1995, section 18
- Primarylegislation.gov.uk: Olympic Symbol etc. (Protection) Act 1995, section 3
- PrimaryUSPTO: How much does it cost?
- PrimaryEUIPO: Fees and payments
- PrimaryGOV.UK: Apply to register a trade mark
- PrimaryPorkbun: domain name pricing, the public price list our checker reads daily