The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals are jointly opposing the WNBA’s trademark application for “The W,” arguing that it closely resembles their established “W” logos and could confuse consumers. The Nationals prominently feature a stylized “W” in their primary logo, and the Cubs have used a blue “W” win flag on a white background since the 1930s. The WNBA filed its trademark application on March 26, 2025, aiming to use “The W” for sports apparel such as jerseys, shirts, and caps.

The opposition was formally filed on August 10, 2026, but an MLB source revealed ongoing discussions between Major League Baseball, the WNBA, and the NBA, which holds a 42% stake in the WNBA. These talks focus on creating clear distinctions to avoid confusion among consumers, and the source expressed optimism that the issue will be resolved amicably without lengthy legal battles. Representatives of the WNBA and NBA have yet to comment publicly on the matter.

Legal expert Josh Gerben explained that the WNBA likely has a solid case, emphasizing that “The W” creates a unique commercial impression distinct from the simpler stylized logos of the Cubs and Nationals. He also noted that prior communication between the parties probably occurred before the public opposition was filed, as is common in trademark disputes. Gerben suggested a straightforward resolution could result from limiting the WNBA’s trademark usage specifically to women’s basketball apparel, aligning with prior trademark filings the league has made.

The Cubs and Nationals did not oppose a previous WNBA trademark application filed in August 2024 for “The W” related to television and radio programming about basketball, which Gerben attributed to the clear contextual difference from MLB’s sport domain. The current sticking point may involve the WNBA’s reluctance to accept restrictive conditions on its trademark. Overall, both sides appear committed to negotiating terms that protect their brand identities while avoiding confusion in the marketplace.