Trademark Registration and Its Scope
Each NPB franchise holds extensive intellectual property: team names, logos, mascot characters, fight songs, and player likenesses. These rights are registered with the Japan Patent Office, and unauthorized use is prohibited. Trademark coverage spans many categories, including apparel, stationery, food, toys, publications, and services. The Yomiuri Giants logo, for instance, is registered across nearly every product class. Selling unauthorized merchandise carrying the name infringes those rights. Registrations require renewal, and each team's legal department manages them continuously. Although intangible, the economic value is substantial; popular franchises hold trademark assets worth tens of billions of yen.
Licensing Agreements - Converting Trademarks Into Revenue
Teams sell merchandise using their trademarks directly and also license those trademarks to outside companies for revenue. In a typical license, the partner manufactures and sells goods bearing the team logo and pays the team a percentage of sales as royalties. Royalty rates vary by product category but typically range from 5 to 15 percent. For example, a confectionery brand releasing a limited edition with team branding pays a share of those sales to the franchise. Collaboration products expand the fan base while letting the partner borrow the team's recognition to grow sales, creating mutual benefit. Each NPB team signs license agreements with dozens of companies annually, and total royalty income can reach hundreds of millions of yen.
Logo Design Evolution and New Trademark Filings
NPB teams periodically refresh logos and uniforms. The goal is not only design renewal but also acquiring new trademarks that expand the business platform. When a new logo arrives, fresh merchandise lines launch, stimulating fan purchases. Older logo merchandise gains scarcity value and trades at premium as collectibles. Design refreshes are critical trademark management moments. Securing wide registration scope for new logos protects future product expansion. Narrow registration leaves room for third parties to file similar marks and block the team's plans. The legal team's strategic judgment shapes long-term revenue capacity.
The Trademark Business of Mascot Characters
Mascot characters are vital trademark assets alongside team logos. Doala (Chunichi), Tsuba-Kuro (Yakult), Trucky (Hanshin), and BB (Orix) function as independent character brands. They appear on plush toys, T-shirts, stationery, books, and a host of other goods. Mascots that maintain active social media presence and feel close to fans tend to deliver stronger trademark revenue. Tsuba-Kuro's social media commentary, for instance, has built an independent fan base. Mascot business reaches consumers who may not follow baseball itself, broadening team brand value. Mascot trademark management protects character image, with policies that bar unauthorized use or any depiction that compromises dignity.
Player Image Rights and Team Trademarks
Player image rights generally belong to the player, but team contracts define how the team can use them. Merchandise typically falls under team-controlled use of player likenesses, governed by contract terms. NPB also operates league-wide rights mechanisms; All-Star Game merchandise and Japan Series commemorative items featuring players from multiple teams require league-level rights coordination. The interplay between image rights and team trademarks is delicate, adjusted continuously through negotiations among the players' association, teams, and the league. Even after a player's career ends, merchandise referencing past achievements continues, so long-term arrangements are necessary.
Looking Forward - Trademark Business in the Digital Era
Digital transformation opens new territory for team trademark business. NFTs, metaverse activations, and digital content merchandising introduce additional channels. Revenue scale remains limited today but could grow substantially. Digital space also brings new infringement challenges. Counterfeit merchandise sold online, unauthorized social media usage, and AI-generated imagery using trademarks all demand new responses. Team legal departments must extend traditional trademark management into digital rights protection. The future of the trademark business depends on institutional design and execution that keep pace with technological change.