The United States Soccer Federation has made plenty of noise on the field this summer, winning the Women’s World Cup and putting in respectable showings at both the U-20 Men’s World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. And yet despite those successes—or maybe because of them—the public’s interest in the federation’s off-field activities is perhaps at an all-time high.



The USSF of course remains involved in litigation with the women’s national team over pay equality and last month faced widespread scrutiny as many of its own employees offered criticism of their employer on Glassdoor.



Now there is another proceeding to keep an eye on. In a filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the USSF is seeking to prevent one of its own official partners—Quakertown, Pa.-based Kwik Goal—from trademarking a proposed slogan: “the official goal of soccer.”



In their June 5th...