Why You Can't Say 'Super Bowl' on Etsy (And 15 Other Phrases)

Every January, the same thing happens.

Sellers list “Super Bowl party decorations.” Within days, those listings vanish. Some sellers lose multiple listings at once. A few lose their shops entirely.

All because of two words.

The NFL trademarked “Super Bowl” in 1969. They enforce it relentlessly. And they’re not the only ones with protected phrases.

Here’s what you can’t say - and exactly what to say instead.

The Super Bowl Situation

The NFL’s trademark on “Super Bowl” is ironclad. Every business in America works around it. Notice how commercials say “the big game”? That’s not creative choice. That’s legal necessity.

This applies to Etsy too.

If your listing says:

• “Super Bowl party supplies”
• “Super Bowl Sunday decorations”
• “Superbowl snack bowls”
• “Perfect for Super Bowl”

You will get a takedown notice. The NFL has automated systems scanning for this constantly. And they ramp up enforcement every January.

What to Say Instead

Safe alternatives for Super Bowl:

• The big game
• Football championship
• Championship Sunday
• Football Sunday
• The big football game
• Game day

Example transformations:

• “Super Bowl Party Banner” → “Big Game Party Banner”
• “Super Bowl Snack Bowls” → “Football Sunday Snack Bowls”
• “Superbowl Decorations” → “Championship Game Decorations”

Your customers know what “the big game” means. Every advertiser in America uses this phrase for the same reason you should.

15 More Phrases You Can’t Use

The NFL isn’t alone. Many organizations protect specific phrases as trademarks.

Sports

1. March Madness

• Owner: NCAA
• Say instead: College basketball tournament, bracket season, spring tournament
• Notes: The NCAA files hundreds of takedowns every March.

2. World Series

• Owner: MLB
• Say instead: Baseball championship, fall classic
• Notes: “Fall classic” is commonly used and acceptable.

3. Stanley Cup

• Owner: NHL
• Say instead: Hockey championship, hockey finals
• Notes: The trophy itself is trademarked.

4. The Masters

• Owner: Augusta National
• Say instead: Spring golf tournament, April golf major
• Notes: Augusta protects everything about their tournament aggressively.

Entertainment

5. Oscar / Academy Awards

• Owner: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
• Say instead: Film awards, movie awards season
• Notes: Can’t use Oscar, Academy Award, or the statuette image.

6. Grammy

• Owner: Recording Academy
• Say instead: Music awards
• Notes: Same deal as Oscars.

7. Emmy

• Owner: Television Academy
• Say instead: Television awards
• Notes: The whole set of major entertainment awards are trademarked.

8. Comic-Con

• Owner: San Diego Comic Convention
• Say instead: Comic convention, pop culture convention
• Notes: “Comic-Con” specifically belongs to SDCC.

Disney Phrases

9. “Hakuna Matata”

• Owner: Disney
• Say instead: No worries, carefree
• Notes: Yes, Disney trademarked a Swahili phrase. Controversial but enforced.

10. “Let It Go”

• Owner: Disney
• Say instead: (Avoid in Frozen context)
• Notes: The phrase in general isn’t trademarked, but using it with Frozen-themed products triggers enforcement.

11. “To Infinity and Beyond”

• Owner: Disney/Pixar
• Say instead: (Avoid entirely)
• Notes: Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase. Protected.

12. “This Is the Way”

• Owner: Disney/Lucasfilm
• Say instead: (Avoid entirely)
• Notes: Mandalorian catchphrase. Disney filed for trademark immediately.

Celebrity Phrases

13. “Swiftie”

• Owner: Taylor Swift (TAS Rights Management)
• Say instead: Fan, music fan
• Notes: Taylor Swift has trademarked multiple terms including this one.

14. “Eras Tour”

• Owner: Taylor Swift (TAS Rights Management)
• Say instead: Concert tour, music tour
• Notes: You cannot sell “Eras Tour” merchandise without a license.

Business/General

15. “Black Friday”

• Status: Attempted trademark, mostly rejected
• Say instead: Black Friday is actually OK in most contexts
• Notes: Various companies have tried and failed to trademark this. Use carefully but it’s generally safe.

16. “Cyber Monday”

• Status: Trademarked by Shop.org/NRF
• Say instead: Online shopping day, post-holiday sale
• Notes: Less enforced than others but technically protected.

Why Phrases Get Trademarked

Companies trademark phrases for the same reason they trademark names: money.

When you sell “Super Bowl party supplies,” you’re using the NFL’s brand recognition to sell your product. They built that brand value over decades. They don’t want you benefiting from it for free.

Is it frustrating? Sure. Is it the law? Yes.

The companies that trademark phrases have legal budgets bigger than your entire business. Fighting them isn’t practical. Working around them is.

The January Trap

Every year I watch the same cycle:

Early January: Sellers list Super Bowl products. Mid-January: NFL enforcement ramps up. Late January: Panicked posts in seller groups about removed listings. Early February: Some shops get suspended.

Don’t be that seller.

If you’re planning to sell anything related to the football championship, scrub your listings now. Every instance of “Super Bowl” needs to go. Title, tags, description, photos with text.

The same applies to March (NCAA tournament), October (World Series), and any time a major trademarked event happens.

Checking Your Listings

For phrases specifically:

Step 1: Search your shop for each phrase on this list.

Step 2: Check titles and tags first - these are scanned automatically.

Step 3: Read through descriptions. Casual mentions get flagged too.

Step 4: Check your photos. Text overlays on images count.

Step 5: Review shop sections and announcements. These can trigger enforcement too.

Event-Based Selling Strategy

You can absolutely sell products for major events. You just need different language.

Football championship season:

• “Big game party supplies”
• “Football Sunday decorations”
• “Championship game serving bowls”
• “Game day appetizer plates”

College basketball tournament:

• “Basketball tournament bracket board”
• “March basketball decorations”
• “College hoops party supplies”

Awards season:

• “Movie awards party decorations”
• “Hollywood party supplies”
• “Film celebration decor”

The search terms people use aren’t always the trademarked phrases. “Football party” gets plenty of traffic. “Big game decorations” too.

When In Doubt

Ask yourself: “Did a company or organization create this phrase?”

If the answer is yes, assume it’s trademarked until you verify otherwise.

This is especially true for:

• Sports event names
• Movie/TV catchphrases
• Song lyrics
• Celebrity-associated terms
• Award show names

Generic descriptions are always safe. “Football championship” will never get you in trouble. “Super Bowl” always might.

Your shop is worth more than two words.