The estate of Kobe Bryant is preparing for a fight with a company over the right to use the name Mamba, according to The Blast.
According to the court records acquired by The Blast, a New York-based computer software company, Articulate Global, Inc., filed in opposition to multiple trademark applications filed by Kobe.
In the months leading up to his death, Kobe Company, Kobe, Inc., filed documentation to obtain multiple-word trademarks. Back in October,’ M Rise’ and’ Rise’ and’ Mamba Rise’ were trademarked for’ mobile applications for cognitive sport training tasks and techniques to young, amateur and elite athletes in the field of sport performance enhancement.’
In December, he submitted an application for the word “Mambacita” to be used for an athletic clothing line. None of the applications had been awarded at the time of Kobe’s death.
On 20 January 2020, Articulate Global submitted papers notifying Kobe, Inc. that it opposes its attempts to trademark “Mamba Rise,” “M Rise” and “Rise” for a mobile application.
Back in 2012, Articulate Global filed a trademark for a name called “Rise” for use on a technology website. The trademark was granted in 2013. In December 2019, they were refilled to acquire the trademark “Rise” for the same uses. The request has yet to be granted.
Prior to his death, Kobe was engaged in a different trademark battle with a pharmaceutical company named Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals. Bryant fought Hi-Tech’s serious efforts to trademark “Black Mamba HYPERRUSH.” He accused them of ripping off his nickname “Black Mamba.”
Since 2017, the NBA legend and the pharmaceutical company had fought after Bryant ordered their trademarks to not be authorized, claiming that it would lead to confusion with consumers He argued that most people are going to connect “Black Mama” to him. He had endured setbacks in the battle, and in January he was working on a settlement with Hi-Tech.
Kobe Bryant: The Birth of the Black Mamba
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