This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
On September 4, 2019, basketball superstar LeBron James's bid to trademark the phrase 'Taco Tuesday' hit a roadblock when the United States Patent and Trademark Office denied his application.
The patent office deemed the phrase a 'commonplace term' that conveys an ordinary concept, widely used by various sources to express enthusiasm for tacos on a dedicated weekday.
According to the patent office, the phrase's similarity to an existing trademark, 'Techno Taco Tuesday,' held by an entertainment company in Las Vegas, further supported the denial.
LeBron James's team has six months to respond to the refusal, but experts say it's unlikely they will challenge the decision, as it's 'pretty hard to overcome.'
Interestingly, a restaurant in Cheyenne, Wyoming, already holds a trademark for 'Taco Tuesday,' and has aggressively protected its intellectual property.
