The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to become the first ever NFL team to win three consecutive championships, and a legendary coach who tried to accomplish that feat in the NBA is willing to share the merchandise wealth.
Pat Riley has owned six different trademarks related to the phrase “Three Peat” since he was the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1990s. Riley led the Lakers to back-to-back NBA titles in 1987 and 1988, and he trademarked various versions of “Three Peat” on apparel, jewelry, backpacks, beverages and more in case L.A. won a third straight championship in 1989.
According to Darren Rovell of cllct.com, Riley has reached an agreement with the Chiefs that would give the AFC champions rights to the “Three Peat”-related trademarks if Kansas City beats the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
Riley’s trademark attorney John Aldrich confirmed that there is a deal in place, though he did not provide details. As Riley has done in the past, Aldrich said the Miami Heat president would likely collect some sort of royalty that benefits the Pat Riley Family Foundation.
Riley has had similar arrangements in the past with professional teams. He allowed the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, who won three consecutive NBA titles from 1996-1998, to use the “Three Peat” phrase. The Lakers did the same after winning three straight titles from 2000-2002, as did the New York Yankees following their back-to-back-to-back World Series wins from 1998-2000.
Though Riley and the Lakers did not finish off their three-peat in the late-1980s, Riley has gotten plenty of mileage from his trademarks. The Chiefs are now hoping to get in on the fun.
