The U.S. Army has filed paperwork with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office "challenging the Golden Knights' use of the name" for the team along with its colors, according to Steve Carp of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The Army's parachute team is "known as the Golden Knights and its primary colors are black and gold." Golden Knights Owner Bill Foley is a "West Point graduate and a donor to Army athletics." In its filing, the Army "claims it would be damaged by the hockey team should the team be granted permanent use of the mark." The Golden Knights on Thursday replied, saying, "The two entities have been peacefully co-existing without any issues for over a year (along with other Golden Knights trademark owners) and we are not aware of a single complaint from anyone attending our games that they were expecting to see a parachute team and not a professional hockey game." The team has until Feb. 19 to "respond to the Army's claim." However, Golden Knights Exec VP & Chief Legal Officer Peter Sadowski said that fans "need not worry about a name change" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/12). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell noted the Army in its filing "points to an article in the Washington Post in June" in which Golden Knights GM George McPhee "makes the connection" between Foley and the Army. The notice of opposition "also cites a tweet from TSN that quotes McPhee." The Army does "not have any trademarks filed for the 'Golden Knights,'" though two colleges -- UCF and the College of St. Rose -- "do have trademarks." The College of St. Rose "opposed the filing and this week got a second extension, this time for a period of 60 days, to file its opposition" (ESPN.com, 1/11).
