MILWAUKEE -- Mast-Jagermeister, the German company behind the popular liqueur, has filed formal opposition with an appeal board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office about the registration of the Milwaukee Bucks' redesigned logo, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report.
The company contends it "has established exclusive rights in the DEER HEAD Marks through use in commerce in the United States" going back to 1968. It cites numerous reasons to oppose registration for the NBA team, including the possibility that people might confuse the two companies or believe they are connected or affiliated.
However, a source familiar with Jagermeister's filing told ESPN's Darren Rovell that the company and the team had been working together, and that the filing was a formality to publicly assert its intellectual property rights for precedent, rather than an issue with the Bucks' mark.
The two parties are expected to come to an agreement so the team can continue to use its new logo, the source said.
Both logos feature forward-looking deer with large antlers inside a circle or partial circle in about the same proportions.
Neither the Bucks nor Jagermeister returned messages seeking comment.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.