Gatorade Can Use ‘Sports Fuel’ Slogan Over Trademark Objection

A phrase from a 2016 Gatorade rebranding doesn’t infringe a trademark held by the nutritionist for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, the Seventh Circuit said Aug. 2.

Gatorade can call itself “The Sports Fuel Company” without violating SportFuel Inc.'s trademark rights because its slogan is a fair use protected by federal law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit said.

Chicago-based SportFuel, a nutrition consultant for athletes, secured its first “SportFuel” mark prior to 2013 and its second in 2015, the opinion said. The Gatorade Co. registered the “Gatorade The Sports Fuel Company” mark with the U.S. Patent ...