• Loading stock data...
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

NCAA Moves to Trademark ‘Battle in the Bubble’

  • A filing made Aug. 26 suggests the term would be used on apparel and in entertainment services.
  • The trademark could signal the NCAA’s plans for the 2020-21 basketball season.
NCAA Moves to Trademark ‘Battle in the Bubble’
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA has filed a trademark for the phrase “Battle in the Bubble,” signaling what the association’s plans for the 2020-21 Division I basketball season might entail. 

The filing, as first noted by trademark attorney Josh Gerben, was made with the USPTO on Aug. 26 and indicates that the NCAA intends to use the phrase in association with collegiate sports, but doesn’t limit what sports it might apply to. 

In the filing, the NCAA says it plans to use the phrase on clothing and athletic uniforms. It also mentions “entertainment services in the nature of athletic contests, games, tournaments, exhibitions and other athletic events at the college level and “providing an interactive website featuring information relation to entertainment and athletic sporting contests, games, exhibitions and events.”

Other NCAA-owned trademarks include “68 Teams, One Dream,” “And Then There Were Four,” “Elite Eight,” “Final Four,” “History Happens Here,” “March Madness,” “NCAA Sweet 16,” “Road To The Final Four,” “The Road Starts Here” and “The Road Ends Here.”

WNBA is similarly trying to trademark the term “Wubble,” in reference to their season currently going on at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. 

On Aug. 13, ESPN reported that an event operator in Houston turned in a formal proposal to the NCAA for a college basketball event called the “Battle in the Bubble” involving 20 teams that would allow programs to play an entire non-conference schedule in three weeks in December.

Under that plan, schools would pay for entrance into the bubble with money already set aside for buy games. 

The NCAA announced Aug. 17 that it expects a decision on the basketball season start-date by mid-September. As scheduled, the season would begin Nov. 10. 

NCAA President Mark Emmert has said that potentially using the bubble is “perfectly viable in many sports.” 

“Starting with 64 teams is tough. Thirty-two, OK, maybe that’s a manageable number. Sixteen, certainly manageable. But you’ve got to figure out those logistics. There’s doubtlessly ways to make that work,” he said.

It’s near-certain that the NCAA will find a way to host a postseason Division I basketball tournament, one way or another. Broadcast and marketing rights to the men’s event are worth $875 million, and it brings in $177.9 million in ticket sales alone. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates following the game between Vanderbilt University and Louisiana State University at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
exclusive

Diego Pavia Is Trying to Kill NCAA JUCO Eligibility Rules for Good

Vandy’s QB is amending his own lawsuit to encompass all NCAA athletes.
Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell after losing the game to the Pittsburgh Panthers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.

CFB’s Chaotic (and Pricey) Coaching Carousel Only Getting Started

Firings have already accounted for roughly $116 million.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
October 18, 2025

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”
Jun 10, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; A NCAA logo flag at the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.

College Athletes Can Bet on Pro Sports Starting in November

An NBA player and coach were charged Thursday in a sports betting investigation.
Texas Tech tortillas
October 22, 2025

Texas Tech Is Attempting a Tortilla Crackdown 

Rebellious students are known to smuggle the tortillas in their underwear.
Tony Vitello
October 22, 2025

Tony Vitello’s Stunning MLB Jump Comes With $3M Tennessee Buyout

Vitello heads to San Francisco after winning a national championship in 2024.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

Fans can now follow their favorite golfers and experience every marquee moment at the Ryder Cup — thanks to innovation from T-Mobile.
Tom Izzo
October 22, 2025

Tom Izzo Rips ‘Ridiculous’ NCAA Move Allowing Former G Leaguers

Michigan State didn’t know an eligibility change had been made, he said.
October 22, 2025

Big 12’s Yormark Defends Slow NIL Go Approvals: ‘That’s Not a Glitch’

Collectives have been starting to pay players without approvals.
BYU
October 20, 2025

BYU Lost Its Star QB This Summer. Now It’s One of the..

The Cougars are thriving with a true freshman at quarterback.
Indiana
October 20, 2025

Indiana Is the Center of the Sports World—Again

After successful NBA and WNBA seasons, Indiana’s football teams are thriving.