With long awaited optimism seeping from the Philadelphia 76ers into their fans, the organization hopes to avoid what the NFL did to the city’s beloved “special” and reward those who “Trust(ed) the Process” by legally trademarking the phrase.
On Friday (Oct. 5), Washington, D.C. trademark lawyer Josh Gerben tweeted public evidence that the 76ers are making moves to legally protect the tagline.
According to Gerben’s post, the franchise initially filed the application on Sept. 26. The forms indicate that they will “fully embrace the phrase by using it to advertise basketball clinics, fan clubs, video games and fantasy leagues.” If finalized, this could be a monumental moment for the 76ers.
The motto was first coined by Joel Embiid in 2014. At this time, Embiid was far from the All-NBA player he is today. Instead, he was an injury-plagued lottery pick looking to fight the title of “bust” on a combusting team. However, since then, the entire franchise has bought into the phrase and climbed their way to the top of the Eastern Conference.
Because of this, many struggling teams are looking to mimic the Sixers’ magic and create their own process. While copying their tactics is acceptable, taking a slogan that means so much to the organization and the city is not. Trademarking “Trust the Process” will undoubtedly help preserve this special time in the history of Philadelphia sports.
