The Seahawks are "trying to trademark the word 'boom' and use it for the team’s own purposes," a move that is "part of a quiet legal strategy in which the team has filed some two dozen trademark applications" since October '13 for phrases such as "Go Hawks" and the number "12," according to Mike Baker of the SEATTLE TIMES. The Seahawks’ "aggressive quest for new revenue has led both the NBA and NHL to try to slow one of the trademark applications." Though the Seahawks were once sued by Texas A&M over the use of "12th Man," the team "is now trying to seize control of many other variations of the term." The Seahawks currently "can’t sell merchandise featuring the term," but are "allowed to raise a flag at the beginning of each game and call it the '12th Man' flag." The team after winning the Super Bowl last season "filed to trademark the design of the '12' flag," which was "approved in September." The team has since filed "two trademark applications for the number '12' in general." The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office "turned down one application due to a previous trademark for a NASCAR team," and another "was refused due to a previous trademark for a hotel." The team "has also pursued trademark of '12' in the team’s jersey font." The Seahawks’ effort to trademark "Go Hawks" also has "been stalled due to filings" from the NBA, which has its own Hawks, and from the NHL’s Blackhawks. The Seahawks in '13 "won control of 'Legion of Boom' for items such as towels, and it wants to expand that trademark to other products." However, a federal examining attorney "suspended the request last month due to concerns that the proposed trademark could be confused with other brand names" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/23).
