Montana Baseball Team Battles Interior Department Over Arrowhead Logo

A Montana minor league baseball team is suing the U.S. Department of Interior for “unwarranted and relentless” trademark claims in an arrowhead logo dispute.

Members of a Major League Baseball partner league in Kalispell, Montana, the Glacier Range Riders filed for multiple trademarks and logomarks for their 2022 franchise. A bear riding in a red bus akin to the tour busses of Glacier National Park, a mountain goat with a park ranger cap, and an arrowhead bearing the initials “RR” are among the logos. Use of the arrowhead emblem is not approved by the Interior Department. The government protested to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which dismissed claims that the baseball team’s arrowhead emblem would be confused with the park service’s and erroneously linked the two.

Next, in June of last year, the federal agency submitted a letter of protest, starting a legal battle that club owners claim will be expensive to win. Next year is tentative when a final hearing is planned, according to team spokesman Alexa Belcastro.

The park service lawsuit points out that the team admitted Glacier National Park served as its influence when it unveiled its logos.

Before Glacier National Park was established, range riders defended the Flathead National Forest Reserve against poachers, wildfires, and wood robbers.

“The brand is inspired by the founding of the National Park Service, the golden age when it was just getting started at the turn of the 20th century,” Jason Klein, partner with the sports marketing firm Brandiose, said when the logos were unveiled. No other company in all of sports has used the national parks as an inspiration, which is what I love about this.

An arrowhead surrounding a sequoia tree, a scene of snow-capped mountains, bison, and the words “National Park Service” make up the park service emblem. The Glacier Range Riders and NPS emblems are only similar in that they both have an arrowhead shape, the team stated in a statement released last week. The shape is used by innumerable other organizations around the country, and NPS has no unique legal rights to it.

Last week, Republican U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke of western Montana questioned Interior Secretary Deb Haaland over the agency’s legal action against the Range Riders, pointing out that other organizations, tribes, and teams—including the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs—use an arrowhead in their emblems, patches, and flags.

Haaland claimed to be ignorant about the action against the Range Riders and to be unable to speak on pending legal matters. Zinke was the interior secretary under the previous administration of Donald Trump, leaving the position in late 2018 amid ethics probes.

“Unfortunately, someone in the federal government is using their position of authority and resources to pursue this action that is neither for the good nor the will of the people,” said Chris Kelly, president of the Glacier Range Riders, in a statement. The fortitude and tenacity of this country are symbolized by the arrowhead. We will fight for its open availability to other organizations and our ability to utilize it in our branding to unite our communities.

May 21 is the home opener for the Glacier Range Riders versus the Pioneer League’s Oakland Bs.