Angel Reese, often referred to as the "Bayou Barbie," attempted to trademark the phrase, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied the application.
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According to Pete Nakos of On3, the denied application comes from the USPTO, citing potential confusion from Barbie, which Mattel owns.
LSU star Angel Reese's filing to trademark her "Bayou Barbie" nickname has been denied. She also decided to not submit arguments, deeming the filing abandoned.
"It was in Angel’s best interest to not unnecessarily instigate Mattel."@PeteNakos_: https://t.co/cCIBxR1ldl pic.twitter.com/QC8lc5Cc8L
— On3 NIL (@On3NIL) February 21, 2024
Now, Reese and her camp are letting go of the idea. They had 90 days to submit arguments but didn't do so.
"We discussed internally and determined that it was in Angel's best interest to not unnecessarily instigate Mattel," said IP and NIL attorney Darren Heitner, who filed the trademark paperwork on Reese's behalf. "While initially it seemed worthy to obtain the registration, Angel has pivoted away from selling Bayou Barbie merchandise. As such, the appropriate business decision was made to simply let the application abandon."
The nickname is derived from her playing at LSU and her affinity for eyelash extensions and pink nails.
"She loves the color pink," Reese's agent Jeanine Ogbonnaya previously told On3. "She's always getting her hair and nails done for games. So that definitely plays a big part into it."
Reese is coming off massive success last season, averaging 23 points and 15.4 rebounds per game and leading LSU to their first title. She has over five million followers on social media and key NIL deals with Reebok, Mielle Organics, and more. Reese, an All-American, is averaging 19.2 points and 12.5 rebounds this season. LSU are 22-4 and 9-3 in the SEC. They're the No. 13 team in the country and are projected to be the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
According to On3, her NIL valuation is at $1.7 million. She'll also be heavily featured in a future docuseries, "The Money Game," provided by Amazon Studios, following the Tigers, their stars, and how they intersect with NIL.
