“Baseballs Evil Empire” Rejected For Patent
The TTAB (Trademark Trial and Appeals Board) rejected a trademark application for the phrase “Baseball’s Evil Empire” from a company named Evil Enterprises, Inc. because the judges ruled that the Yankees are strongly associated with that phrase.
The Yankees were often labeled the ‘Evil Empire’ as an insult because the Yankees would commonly throw money around and buy up many of the good players. The Yankees took symbolic ownership of the term and even went so far as to play the Imperial March from Star Wars at their home games.
“In short, the record shows that there is only one Evil Empire in baseball and it is the New York Yankees,” wrote the judges. “Accordingly, we find that [the Yankees] have a protectable trademark right in the term … as used in connection with baseball.