CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ With an official Major League Soccer announcement expected soon, eight trademarks for potential Charlotte soccer team names have been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by a top Carolina Panthers official.
Billionaire Panthers owner David Tepper has been leading an aggressive drive to land an MLS soccer team in the city.
The names are: Charlotte FC, Charlotte Crown FC, Charlotte Fortune FC, Charlotte Monarchs FC, Charlotte Athletic FC, Charlotte Town FC, Carolina Gliders FC and All Carolina FC.
Panthers officials have not publicly commented on the matter. But trademarks were filed on Dec. 6 by DT Soccer, LLC, which lists its address at the Bank of America stadium, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The trademark application lists Stephen Argeris _ the Panthers' vice president and general counsel _ as the application contact.
The trademark applications have been accepted by the patent office, and not yet assigned to an examining agent. Trademark applications are assigned to an examining attorney about three months after they are filed, according to the office.
MLS has said it is in "very, very advanced discussions" with Tepper about adding Charlotte as the league's 30th team.
