Vanessa Bryant has reportedly filed to trademark ‘KB24’ so as to create a sports and entertainment empire in memory of her late husband, Kobe Bryant.
A report by TMZ says Vanessa submitted documents to secure the trademark for various products such as sports cards, T-Shirts, digital collectible items, training camps, and beverage/food containers.
The trademark extends into the entertainment field. She has filed for broadcasting platforms, podcasts, TV shows, movies, documentaries, music, and websites, TMZ adds.
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The filing of the trademark comes after the Kobe Bryant estate ended its long-standing partnership with Nike. Face2Face Africa earlier reported that the estate decided after growing frustrated with Nike limiting the availability of Kobe products during his retirement and after his death.
Kobe first signed a deal with Nike in 2003 after leaving Adidas when he entered the league in 1996. It was one of the biggest basketball deals Nike signed. The company produced multiple lines of Kobe shoes and gear. He signed an endorsement extension in April 2016.
This is not the first time the Kobe Bryant estate has filed a trademark. Back in March, Vanessa applied to trademark “Mamba” and “Mambacita.” The estate was seeking to launch a sneaker and clothing brand in honor of the late basketball legend and their daughter.
According to the Business Insider, Kobe created “The Black Mamba” — his alter-ego on the basketball court — back in the early 2000s as he was going through personal struggles.
“I had to separate myself. It felt like there were so many things coming at once. It was just becoming very, very confusing. I had to organize things. So I created The Black Mamba,” Kobe said on the Muse documentary, according to Revolt TV.
Kobe, one of the world’s most celebrated basketball icons, died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. He was flying along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and John Altobelli, head baseball coach at Orange Coast College, who was also with his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa.
In a career that spanned two decades, the Black Mamba’s face became synonymous with the LA Lakers, where he won five Championship titles playing with the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Nash.
