Hockey fans have been affectionately calling Calgary rookie Johnny Gaudreau by the name of Johnny Hockey for quite some time now. Gaudrea’s successful rookie campaign with the Flames to date has drawn comparisons to Johnny Manziel’s college career and thus the Johnny Hockey name was born. For most, the nickname has been just a bit of fun, but Gaudrea is taking it seriously and has filed trademark applications for Johnny Hockey.
Via TSN.ca, Gaudrea has filed trademark and patent applications in both the United States and Canada. Why? It all comes down to branding.
“We were concerned that people were going to abuse the Johnny Hockey name, coming out with Johnny Hockey shirts and stuff and we wanted to make sure that did not occur,” Lewis Gross, Gaudreau’s agent, told TSN. “We felt that Johnny was going to be a special player and if he takes off the way we felt he could, he has the potential to have endorsement opportunities that could be very valuable.”
Consider this a long-term investment. Gaudrea is protecting a potentially lucrative branding opportunity by filing the trademark applications. The success of Johnny Hockey and whatever that means – apparel, merchandise, etc. – depends on how well he performs on the ice. If he bombs, the Johnny Hockey nickname may end up being something we all laugh about years down the road.