Deion Sanders’ Colorado Trademark Push Leaves 19 Applications Abandoned

Deion Sanders’ trademark record at Colorado has two distinct sides: a long list of abandoned applications and a smaller set of registrations tied to his central public identity. Since arriving in Boulder in December 2022 as the University of Colorado’s $10-million-a-year football coach, he has let 19 applications lapse, according to a review of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filings.

The gap between ideas and registrations is striking. Sanders has repeatedly put phrases and product concepts into the filing system, but many never made it through the required steps. Now a new batch of applications points toward barbecue sauces and meat products, raising the same question that follows his earlier filings: which names will become active brands?

A crowded list of abandoned phrases

Many of the abandoned applications came during September and October 2023, when Sanders’ first season drew intense national attention. The phrases included “Bull Junk,” “We Here,” “Daddy Buck,” “Give Me My Theme Music,” “Working or Twerking,” “We Keep Receipts,” “Ain’t Nobody Care” and “F Around and Find Out.”

Other filings covered more specific goods. “Confidence” was sought for body and bath products; “Pitbull in Pumps” for coffee mugs, lunch bags and lunch boxes; and “Primetime” for dietary supplements. More recent applications to fall away were “Primetime Punch,” abandoned in August, and “It’s Personal,” abandoned in September.

The filings were made through two businesses owned by Sanders: Texas-based Prime Time 21 Enterprises and Indiana-based Prime Time Enterprises. Most lapsed after Sanders or his representatives missed deadlines to submit a statement of use or request more time. An abandoned application doesn’t establish that a phrase was never used commercially, and it doesn’t automatically make the mark available for another party.

Sanders’ interest in branding predates Colorado by decades. He applied in 1996 to register “Prime Time 21” for nightclub services, but that application lapsed. In 2003, he secured a registration for “Prime Effect,” a phrase that later became a central part of his public identity.

New barbecue filings, established marks

Sanders is now pursuing several marks in his own name for barbecue products and meat-based foods: “Prime Smoke Sauce,” “Prime Stadium Dogs,” “Prime Smoke Sausage,” “Prime Smokehouse” and “Prime Time Smokehouse.” The applications cover items including sauces, sausages and wieners.

That push follows a run of successful registrations for better-known branding. Sanders’ companies secured “Coach Prime” for online retail store services in August 2024 and “Prime Effect” for entertainment services that November. “Coach Prime” was also registered for eyewear, including sunglasses, on April 7, 2026, and for dietary and nutritional supplements on June 9, 2026.

An earlier “Coach Prime” application, filed in October 2020 shortly after Sanders became head coach at Jackson State, resulted in a registration covering hats, other apparel and entertainment services on Aug. 26, 2025. Those wins suggest the core names have had more staying power than the stream of one-off slogans.

Sanders has also challenged competing claims to his branding. In March 2024, he opposed a New Jersey man’s application for “The Prime Effect.” His attorney, Tabetha Plummer, argued in the filing that the term had become “inextricably linked with Mr. Sanders in the public consciousness,” citing a Harvard Business School case study and other evidence. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board issued a notice of default in June 2024 after the applicant did not respond, resolving that dispute in Sanders’ favor.

Brand scrutiny amid a difficult season

A separate dispute remains active. In January 2025, Nebraska graphic designer Alan Tipp sued Sanders, PrimeTime Enterprises and SMAC Entertainment, the agency representing Sanders. Tipp alleges that the defendants profited without permission from logos he created in 2011. The designs have appeared on products including a Blenders sunglasses line that reportedly generated nearly $5 million in its first few days.

Tipp says Sanders and his representatives induced him to surrender his rights through a retroactive work-for-hire agreement after Sanders arrived at Colorado in December 2022. Sanders’ attorney disputes Tipp’s claim to the designs, arguing that Tipp never held a copyright and accusing him of “lying in wait for close to a decade” before making his claim. Tipp was expected to respond to Sanders’ summary judgment motion the following week. A representative for Sanders did not respond to an email seeking comment.

The branding activity is unfolding as Colorado’s early surge of attention has given way to a rough stretch on the field. The Buffaloes entered the week on a five-game losing streak, winless in Big 12 play and last in the 16-team conference. They were set to host Kansas State in Boulder on Saturday.

For Sanders, the filings show that registering a name is only one part of building a durable brand. His established marks have advanced, while a wide range of slogans and product ideas have dropped away. The barbecue applications will show whether this latest batch can move from paperwork to a lasting place in his portfolio.