NWA Trademark Application Partially Suspended

PWInsider is reporting that the United States Patent and Trademark Office partially suspended Bruce Tharpe’s registration of the National Wrestling Alliance trademark on the 4th of June. The process has been ongoing since the renewal was applied for in March of this year after the trademark expired in December 2016. The exact reasoning looks to be as follows:

It appears based on the ruling that the issue at play is related to merchandising of the NWA brand, specifically that the NWA name may come into conflict with other existing applications featuring a similar brand name and that Tharpe, in his application, did not show adequate proof that the brand was currently being used in commerce, i.e. was actually being sold.

I mean, showing proof that the NWA is selling might be difficult at the best of times. Either way, the talks with Billy Corgan are ongoing from all accounts so if this is rectified, the purchase may still go ahead.