Panthers Coach Ron Rivera Makes Move to Trademark “Riverboat Ron”

Los Angeles – Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has officially jumped on the sports-nickname trademark bandwagon. Adding to a long line of athletes and coaches who have sought protection over their monikers – from Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin to Jameis Winston and Tim Tebow – Rivera’s “Riverboat Ron” has been added to the list.

According to the filing, which was submitted by Rivera’s trademark attorney on November 18, 2013 in the name of Coach Rivera LLC, he seeks protection over the nickname in relation to clothing items, including “T-shirts, sport shirts, polo shirts, knit shirts, golf shirts, dress shirts, sports caps and hats.”  Rivera filed the application on an intent-to-use basis, affording him time to actually produce products under the “Riverboat Ron” brand.   At this point, it is unknown whether the trademark will proceed to registration, as it has yet to be examined by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The filing comes at a pivotal time for the Panthers organization, with the team experiencing a recent catapult in the rankings and a guaranteed shot at the playoffs.  The team started off the 2013 NFL season with a bad losing record and many speculated that Rivera’s days in Carolina as a head coach were numbered.  For years, he has been known for a very conservative play style, coming up as the second-most conservative in attempting fourth-down conversions through his first 34 games as a head coach.

That all changed this season, when Rivera suddenly began taking chances, much like a “Riverboat gambler” would.   Since the shaky start, he has gone on to lead the Panthers to an eight game winning streak, with several of those wins coming as a result of risky plays and fourth down conversions.  The new style of coaching has the Panthers at a current 10 -4 record and second in their division.

In response to his decision to trademark the nickname, “Riverboat Ron” himself seems to have good intentions.  He was recently quoted as saying “If it’s going to be out there then let’s see if we can do something in the community with it.” He went on to say, “They’re all worthwhile causes and we really want to see if we can help out in the community.”