As Ilia Malinin Skates, the QuadGod Trademark Waits
•February 13, 2026
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Companies Mentioned
Why It Matters
Securing a federal trademark would give Malinin exclusive control over QuadGod merchandise and powerful anti‑counterfeit tools, crucial for monetizing his personal brand. It also sets a precedent for athletes protecting their nicknames in the highly competitive sports‑merch market.
Key Takeaways
- •QuadGod trademark pending for apparel only
- •Two other trademark requests deleted by USPTO
- •30‑day opposition period open; no filings yet
- •Federal registration grants exclusive rights and customs protection
- •Malinin can rely on common‑law rights while pending
Pulse Analysis
The rise of athlete‑driven branding has turned personal nicknames into valuable intellectual property, and Ilia Malinin’s "QuadGod" is a textbook case. After filing three separate trademark requests in February 2023, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected two for insufficient usage details, leaving only the apparel category in the Official Gazette. This selective approval reflects the USPTO’s stringent evidence requirements, especially for sports‑related marks that span equipment and entertainment services. Malinin’s team must now demonstrate concrete commercial use to avoid future objections.
If the QuadGod apparel mark clears the 30‑day opposition window, federal registration will provide a suite of legal advantages. It creates a presumptive ownership right, enabling Malinin to license the brand, enforce cease‑and‑desist actions, and tap into Customs and Border Protection’s anti‑counterfeit seizure powers. For a skater whose revenue streams include T‑shirts, beanies and high‑priced windbreakers, these protections are essential to safeguard against knock‑off products that flood online marketplaces, particularly from overseas manufacturers.
Beyond immediate commercial benefits, Malinin’s trademark pursuit underscores a broader shift: athletes are increasingly treating their personas as standalone enterprises. By locking down QuadGod, he can expand into collaborations, digital collectibles, and even mental‑health initiatives without fearing brand dilution. Should an opposition arise, the TTAB process could delay or alter his strategy, but even a pending application signals to sponsors and fans that the brand is being professionally managed. This proactive IP stance may inspire other emerging stars to secure their monikers before they become generic, reinforcing the growing intersection of sports performance and entrepreneurial branding.
As Ilia Malinin Skates, the QuadGod Trademark Waits
MILAN— Ilia Malinin can land seven quadruple jumps in his figure skating program. But he’s having a tougher time landing the U.S. trademark to his nickname, the QuadGod.
Last February, Malinin filed trademark requests to the U.S. government for three commercial uses of the nickname. Two of those have since been deleted by the Patent and Trademark Office. The third—for use on T‑shirts, hats, costumes and other apparel—is currently in a 30‑day period of public review.
Malinin, who competes in the men’s free skate on Friday evening in Milan, has already excelled in his debut Olympics—winning gold in the team event with another chance to add to his haul in the individual event. At the age of 21, he’s one of the sport’s bright young stars with an astonishing arsenal of skills, including a quadruple axel, unrivaled by any of his competitors.
Off the ice, he’s building his brand around QuadGod, the nickname he gave himself in 2020 when he began landing quads, the shorthand for figure skating jumps with four aerial rotations. His website URL is his name with “qg” tacked onto the end, and his QuadGod logo is all over. The shop includes more than a dozen pieces of QuadGod merchandise, including a $100 windbreaker, a $35 beanie and a $7 vinyl sticker. He has worn QuadGod merchandise in sponsored videos, including one he posted for Google this week on Instagram. The specific QuadGod tank top he wore in that video also bore the Nike swoosh. A spokesman for Nike said that garment was not produced in conjunction with the company.
Still, Malinin has yet to secure the trademark to a nickname that has become synonymous with the Virginia‑based skater. On Feb. 25 of last year, Malinin filed a trademark for use of QuadGod in three separate realms—clothing and costumes; skating equipment like blades and guards; and “entertainment services” related to professional figure skaters.
A government lawyer responded a few months later, saying that the applications for the latter two requests lacked sufficient details—specifically examples of how the marks would be used and marketed. Malinin and his lawyer could have followed up with more evidence, but it doesn’t appear that they did. In December, the patent office said it had deleted those two requests, leaving just the pending trademark for apparel, costumes and clothing.
On Jan. 27, the QuadGod mark was published in the Trademark Official Gazette, beginning a 30‑day clock during which any party who believes it would be damaged by Malinin gaining registration can file a notice of opposition. The notice would be filed with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), an administrative court within the USPTO, and might argue that there would be a likelihood of confusion with a mark arguably similar to QuadGod.
As of Friday, there is no indication of a party filing a notice of opposition to Malinin’s pending registration. Should one be filed before the deadline expires, the TTAB would begin a process of review that weighs competing arguments.
If Malinin’s application were approved, he would obtain a number of legal benefits. Federal registration of a mark provides an exclusive right to use those marks and a presumption of ownership. Those are advantageous features should Malinin seek to stop others from using QuadGod on athletic apparel, figure skating clothing and related products. Likewise, Malinin would be able to demand that others obtain a license from him to use QuadGod on clothing, or he can sue them for infringement.
Another important benefit of registration, especially from an international commerce perspective, is the anti‑counterfeiting protections from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The CBP detains and seizes imported goods that infringe on registered trademarks, and that protection is considered an important feature in enforcement of intellectual property rights at the nation’s border. As Sportico has detailed, leagues, athletes and other sports entities have battled the proliferation of counterfeit merchandise, especially from China, sold on popular websites.
At the same time, Malinin doesn’t need to obtain a federal trademark registration to obtain trademark law protection. He can also rely on common‑law trademark rights, which are enforceable through state law and case precedent. They require using a trademark in commerce, such as selling QuadGod apparel and other merchandise, which is why Malinin can sell his products while the request is pending. While common‑law trademark rights are useful, federal trademark rights are often considered superior.
Leading up to and during the Olympics, Malinin has been teasing the release of a mental‑health initiative expected on Feb. 21, after the totality of the figure skating competition concludes in Milan.
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