The Purple and Gold Legacy: How the Los Angeles Lakers Created, Symbolized, and Protected Their Iconic Trademark Colors

Introduction

The Los Angeles Lakers' purple and gold color scheme stands as one of professional sports' most recognizable brand identities. More than mere aesthetic choices, these colors embody decades of championship tradition, strategic branding vision, and sophisticated intellectual property protection. The franchise has transformed what began as owner Jack Kent Cooke's preference for "royal" colors in 1967 into a legally protected trade dress that generates hundreds of millions in merchandise revenue annually. This report examines the cultural symbolism embedded in the Lakers' purple and gold palette, traces the historical evolution from "Forum Blue" to the modern color standards, and analyzes the trademark strategies the organization employs to defend this valuable intellectual property from infringement.

The Origins and Symbolism of Purple and Gold

Jack Kent Cooke's Vision: From Forum Blue to Lakers Purple

The Lakers' iconic color transformation occurred in 1967 when Canadian-American businessman Jack Kent Cooke purchased the franchise and opened The Forum arena in Inglewood, California. Prior to Cooke's ownership, the Lakers wore blue and white uniforms—a carryover from their Minneapolis days (1947-1960) when they sported powder blue and gold, and their early Los Angeles years (1960-1967) when royal blue dominated their look.

Cooke's vision was explicitly regal. He wanted both of his Forum tenants—the Lakers and the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, which he also owned and launched in 1967—to project an image of nobility and excellence. Purple represented the obvious choice for royalty, yet Cooke harbored an idiosyncratic aversion to the word itself. According to broadcasting legend Chick Hearn and multiple historical accounts, Cooke insisted on calling the color "Forum Blue" despite its obvious purple hue. This nomenclature served dual purposes: it connected the color directly to Cooke's arena and satisfied the owner's linguistic preferences.

The designation "Forum Blue" persisted officially through the 1979-1980 season, though it continued informally through Hearn's broadcasts well into the Showtime era of the 1980s. From 1980-1981 forward, the Lakers formally adopted "Royal Purple" as the color's name, though fans and the franchise have since settled simply on "Lakers Purple."

The Psychology and Meaning of Lakers Purple

Lakers Purple (Pantone PMS 526 C, Hex #552583, RGB 85-37-130) carries profound symbolic weight that extends beyond sport into cultural psychology. Purple has historically signified royalty, nobility, power, and prestige—associations rooted in the color's rarity and expense in pre-industrial dye production. The Lakers' adoption of purple deliberately invoked these regal connotations, positioning the franchise as basketball nobility.

The color choice proved remarkably prescient. Since adopting purple in 1967, the Lakers have won 12 of their 17 NBA championships, cementing the connection between the color and championship excellence. For fans, Lakers Purple represents not just team loyalty but participation in a legacy of sustained excellence. The color communicates ambition, excellence, and the "royal" standard to which the franchise holds itself.

Psychologically, purple combines the stability and confidence of blue with the energy and passion of red, creating a color that feels both authoritative and dynamic—perfectly suited for a franchise that has featured icons from Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

Lakers Gold: The Color of Championship Excellence

Lakers Gold (Pantone PMS 123 C, Hex #FDB927, RGB 253-185-39) complements purple as the secondary but equally vital component of the Lakers' color identity. Gold symbolizes achievement, wealth, prestige, success, and—most directly—championship trophies. The choice of gold rather than yellow was deliberate, evoking the finish of championship hardware and Olympic medals rather than simple brightness.

The gold-purple combination creates exceptional visual contrast—a deep, rich purple against brilliant gold produces instant recognition and legibility across merchandise, uniforms, and marketing materials. This contrast ensures the colors remain distinctive even when reduced to small logos or viewed from distance in arena settings.

Gold carries additional meaning within basketball culture, where it represents the ultimate prize: the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. Every time Lakers players don purple jerseys with gold trim, they're visually connecting to the franchise's 17 championships—the second-most in NBA history. The color has become so intrinsically linked to Lakers success that fans describe championship moments as "bringing gold back to Los Angeles."

The "Banana Yellow" Controversy: Color Consistency Challenges

The Lakers' gold standard faced an unexpected challenge beginning in 2016-2017 when the uniform colors began shifting toward what fans derisively termed "banana yellow" or "highlighter yellow." This color controversy reveals the complexities of maintaining consistent brand colors across manufacturing partners and licensing agreements.

According to multiple sources, the issue emerged during Adidas's final years as the NBA's uniform provider and persisted when Nike assumed the contract in 2017. Fans and commentators noted that the warmer "Forum Gold" tone had been replaced with a cooler, brighter yellow that deviated from the Lakers' traditional palette. Reddit discussions and online petitions gathered thousands of supporters demanding a return to authentic Lakers Gold.

The intellectual property dimensions of this controversy remain murky, but credible reports suggest that Adidas retained certain rights to the previous gold formulation, creating complications when Nike sought to replicate it. One Reddit analysis noted: "Adidas holds the rights to the prior color, so even if it were simply about purchasing those rights, it's unlikely that Adidas would be inclined to assist a competitor like Nike." While the Lakers organization has not publicly confirmed these details, the color shift coincided precisely with the manufacturer transition, lending credibility to intellectual property disputes over the specific shade formulation.

By 2023, the Lakers darkened their purple considerably, returning closer to historical norms, though the gold remains a subject of debate among traditionalists. This episode underscores an essential truth: trademark protection extends beyond logos and names to encompass the precise color formulations that define brand identity.

Trademark Protection: Legal Foundations and Strategy

Federal Trademark Registration and Color Claims

The Los Angeles Lakers have developed a sophisticated trademark portfolio with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to protect their brand identity. A foundational registration (Serial Number 73574102, Registration Number 1477758) filed December 18, 1985 and registered February 23, 1988, explicitly claims purple and gold as features of the mark.

The registration's critical language states: "THE MARK IS LINED FOR THE COLORS PURPLE AND GOLD. THESE COLORS ARE CLAIMED AS A FEATURE OF THE MARK." This lining/stippling statement in trademark applications allows color to be formally incorporated into the protected mark's scope. The registration covers International Class 025 (clothing, footwear, headgear) and specifically lists: "HOSIERY, FOOTWEAR, T-SHIRTS, SWEATSHIRTS, TANK TOPS, PAJAMAS, JERSEY TOPS, POLO SHIRTS, BELTS, HEADWEAR, WARM-UP SUITS, BASKETBALL UNIFORMS, JACKETS, HEAD BANDS AND WRIST BANDS, SWEATERS, SHORTS, RAIN SLICKERS AND ROBES."

The registration includes a Section 2(f) limitation statement regarding "LOS ANGELES," indicating that this geographic term required additional proof that it had acquired distinctiveness through use—a legal requirement when geographic terms form part of a trademark. The registration claims first use anywhere on October 1, 1966, and first use in commerce on October 1, 1966, predating the 1967 purple and gold adoption but consistent with the broader "Los Angeles Lakers" name usage.

Notably, this registration has been renewed twice—in 2007 and 2017—demonstrating continuous use and active enforcement, prerequisites for maintaining trademark protection. The Lakers' trademark portfolio extends far beyond this single registration, encompassing at least 42 registered trademarks as of recent counts, including logos, wordmarks, and specific design elements.

Trade Dress Protection: The Broader Color Scheme Defense

Beyond specific registrations, the Lakers rely on trade dress protection to defend their purple and gold color combination. Trade dress, as defined under the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)), protects the overall appearance and image of a product or service that signifies its source to consumers. For sports franchises, trade dress can encompass uniform colors, design configurations, and the distinctive visual presentation that consumers associate with the team.

Trade dress protection requires demonstrating that the combination has acquired "secondary meaning"—that consumers primarily associate the appearance with a specific source rather than viewing it as merely decorative. For the Lakers, this burden is relatively easy to meet: the purple and gold combination has been consistently used since 1967, accompanied by billions of dollars in marketing and media exposure, creating overwhelming consumer recognition.

Multiple legal experts confirm that using Lakers purple and gold in sports-related contexts—particularly on apparel—creates substantial infringement risk even without using logos or the "Lakers" name. One trademark attorney explained: "Your shirts would violate trade dress protection if you produce and sell them without a license. If the design and colors would lead consumers to believe that the shirts are associated with specific teams, they would violate trade dress law even if you do not mention the name of the team or use its logo."

This protection extends specifically to contexts where the color combination would signal Lakers affiliation. Someone selling purple and gold shirts at sporting goods stores or near Lakers games would face higher infringement risk than someone selling the same colors in unrelated contexts, because likelihood of confusion depends on whether consumers would reasonably associate the product with the Lakers.

The Legal Framework for Color Trademark Protection

The Lakers' color protection operates within the broader legal framework established by landmark Supreme Court precedent. In Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Products Co. (1995), the Supreme Court definitively held that "no special legal rule prevents color alone from serving as a trademark," establishing that single colors and color combinations can receive trademark protection if they meet specific criteria.

To qualify for trademark protection, colors must satisfy four requirements:

1. Distinctiveness: The color must distinguish the product from competitors and serve as a source identifier

2. Secondary Meaning: The color must be associated with the product/brand through commercial use and consumer recognition

3. Non-Functionality: The color cannot affect product cost, quality, or provide utilitarian advantage that would disadvantage competitors

4. Source Identification: Consumers must primarily view the color as indicating source rather than as merely decorative

Famous color trademark registrations include UPS's Pullman Brown (registered 1998), Tiffany Blue (Pantone 1837, registered 1998), Owens Corning's pink fiberglass insulation, and Christian Louboutin's red sole when contrasting with the upper shoe color. Each succeeded by demonstrating overwhelming consumer association between the color and the brand.

The Lakers meet all four criteria convincingly. Their purple and gold combination has been used consistently for nearly 60 years, backed by extensive marketing that explicitly highlights the colors as brand identifiers. The franchise has actively promoted the colors' association with Lakers basketball through merchandise, advertising, and public positioning. The colors serve no functional purpose in basketball uniforms beyond identification, and consumer surveys would undoubtedly show high recognition rates connecting purple and gold to the Lakers specifically.

Enforcement Strategy and Practical Considerations

The Lakers actively enforce their trademark rights through cease-and-desist letters, licensing agreements, and litigation when necessary. The franchise operates through licensing arms that grant manufacturers permission to use Lakers trademarks—including the color combination—on authorized merchandise. Unauthorized use, particularly on apparel sold in sports contexts, regularly triggers enforcement action.

Legal practitioners advise extreme caution when attempting to use Lakers colors commercially. One attorney noted: "If you make a jersey which is likely to confuse the public, to make it appear like a Lakers professional basketball team jersey, then you may be sued for trademark infringement." Another explained: "Anytime someone attempts to profit by associating his products or business with famous celebrities, sports franchises, colleges, products, etc., this probably violates intellectual property law and unfair competition law if this is done without a license."

The "likelihood of confusion" test remains central to trademark infringement analysis. Courts examine factors including the similarity of the marks, proximity of the goods, strength of the trademark, evidence of actual confusion, and the defendant's intent. For the Lakers, the strength of their purple and gold trade dress—backed by decades of use and billions in revenue—creates substantial protection.

Geographic considerations also matter. Someone operating a business with Lakers colors in Los Angeles faces higher infringement risk than someone in a market with no Lakers presence, because the likelihood that consumers would associate the colors with the Lakers is geographically contingent. However, the Lakers' national and international reach through NBA broadcasting means their trade dress protection extends far beyond Southern California.

Limitations and Coexistence Possibilities

Despite strong protection, the Lakers cannot monopolize purple and gold across all contexts. Someone opening a florist shop with purple and gold décor would face minimal risk because consumers would not associate those colors in that context with Lakers basketball. The key question remains: would consumers viewing the product reasonably believe it originated from or is affiliated with the Lakers?

Additionally, other entities can use purple and gold in non-competing contexts. Louisiana State University (LSU) uses similar purple and gold colors for its athletic programs, creating potential overlap. However, because LSU's context (college athletics, different geographic base, different logos and names) differs sufficiently from the Lakers, both can coexist without consumer confusion.

Trademark dilution provides an alternative enforcement theory when famous marks are weakened even without likelihood of confusion. Under dilution doctrine, using Lakers colors in ways that blur their distinctive quality or tarnish their reputation can constitute infringement even if consumers understand the products don't originate from the Lakers.

The Commercial Value of Color Protection

The Lakers' purple and gold trade dress represents extraordinary economic value. The franchise ranks among the NBA's most valuable teams, estimated at over $5 billion, with intellectual property comprising a substantial portion of that valuation. Merchandise sales featuring the purple and gold color scheme generate hundreds of millions annually through licensed products ranging from jerseys and apparel to accessories, home goods, and memorabilia.

Color consistency and protection enable the Lakers to maintain premium pricing and brand prestige. When consumers purchase Lakers merchandise, they're not merely buying a functional product—they're acquiring a symbol of affiliation with championship tradition, celebrity culture, and Los Angeles itself. The purple and gold colors serve as the primary visual shorthand for this complex brand identity.

The franchise's recent contract extensions with jersey patch sponsors and arena naming rights demonstrate the commercial leverage that strong brand identity—including distinctive colors—creates in negotiations. Sponsors pay premium rates to affiliate with the Lakers brand specifically because the purple and gold are so instantly recognizable and positively regarded.

Oppositions

Trademark oppositions give the Lakers a proactive tool to stop third parties from registering confusingly similar marks before they mature to registration. A trademark opposition is filed at the USPTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) during the 30‑day period after an application is published in the Official Gazette, and it functions like a mini‑lawsuit where the opposer must prove likelihood of confusion, dilution, or other statutory grounds. Professional sports teams and their licensing arms routinely use TTAB oppositions to police their brands—Major League Baseball players, for example, have successfully opposed applications that attempted to capitalize on phrases associated with Aaron Judge, with the TTAB and Federal Circuit recognizing their priority and distinctiveness in the marketplace. For a globally recognized brand like the Lakers, oppositions are essential to prevent others from registering marks that approximate the “Los Angeles Lakers” name, the purple‑and‑gold trade dress, or related logos in connection with apparel, entertainment services, or sponsorship.

Public docket records show that the Lakers organization has participated in TTAB proceedings when necessary, including cases opposing applications that could encroach on its “LA”‑formative branding or otherwise overlap with its portfolio. Going forward, the Lakers can and likely will continue to use oppositions whenever a new filing—whether a word mark, logo, or color‑driven design—comes too close to their established purple and gold identity or suggests a false association with the team’s merchandise and entertainment services. By monitoring the Official Gazette and promptly opposing problematic applications, the franchise not only preserves the distinctiveness of its registrations that expressly claim purple and gold as features of the mark, but also reinforces the broader trade‑dress narrative that these colors function as a singular source identifier for Lakers basketball in the minds of consumers

Conclusion

The Los Angeles Lakers' purple and gold colors represent far more than a aesthetic preference. They embody Jack Kent Cooke's vision of regal excellence, six decades of championship tradition, sophisticated trademark protection, and hundreds of millions in commercial value. From the original "Forum Blue" designation through modern Pantone specifications, the franchise has maintained and legally protected a color identity that ranks among professional sports' most recognizable brands.

The Lakers' trademark strategy leverages both specific federal registrations claiming purple and gold as mark features and broader trade dress protection based on acquired secondary meaning. This multi-layered approach creates robust barriers against unauthorized use while generating substantial licensing revenue from authorized merchandise partnerships.

As the "banana yellow" controversy demonstrates, maintaining color consistency across licensing relationships presents ongoing challenges requiring vigilant brand management. Yet the Lakers have successfully navigated these complexities while strengthening their legal position through continuous use, active enforcement, and strategic portfolio management.

For intellectual property practitioners, the Lakers' purple and gold provide a master class in color trademark development and protection. For fans, these colors remain what they've always been: the visual embodiment of Lakers basketball excellence, connecting contemporary viewers to the legacy of West, Magic, Kareem, Shaq, Kobe, and LeBron. Purple and gold transcend mere colors—they are Lakers basketball itself, legally protected and culturally enshrined as symbols of championship tradition.