WNBA fighting mystery company over Houston Comets trademark

The WNBA plans to revive the Houston Comets in 2027, but a trademark dispute with TSTM Holdings may threaten its ability to use the Comets name. The Houston Comets were one of the WNBA's original eight franchises and won the league's first four championships before folding in 2008. A group led by billionaire Tilman Fertitta, who owns the NBA's Houston Rockets, announced it had agreed to buy the Connecticut Sun and relocate the team to Houston. The WNBA applied to trademark the Houston Comets name in early 2025 but found it had been beaten to the punch by TSTM Holdings, which submitted its trademark registration application in 2024. The WNBA is opposing TSTM Holdings' application in the federal trademark office. Trademark law experts say the dispute could become a major headache for the WNBA if TSTM Holdings is granted registration for the Comets name.