Patriots awarded '19-0' trademark 9 years after losing Super Bowl XLII

By Brett Smiley
Published

 

In a parallel universe and in some regions around the world that received unsold merchandise, the New England Patriots enjoyed a perfect season in 2007-2008 with victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

Not quite. But in the days leading up the game in February 2008, the Patriots prepared to profit from that eventuality by filing for trademarks for "19-0" and "Perfect Season."

According to ESPN's Darren Rovell, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office just recently awarded the  trademarks for those two phrases after the team filed the maximum five extensions to demonstrate that they should be entitled to the marks.

The team has actually already benefited from licensing "Perfect Season" -- to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association for a DVD made for an undefeated high school football team in 2015.

Now if a team ever does go 19-0 (if not New England itself), apparently they'll have to go through The Kraft Group, the Pats' parent company, to sell that sweet 19-0 swag.