Although the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approves many applications for trademark protections, there are a few exceptions. The agency rejects applications for any trademark that could be interpreted as a slur or an insult to a particular group of people. Like many states, Colorado is home to Native Americans who may be offended by certain terms.
It is possible that the Washington Redskins football team will lose its federal trademark protection. Since 1992, when a group of Native Americans began to push the federal government to revoke the team’s trademark protection, the team has gotten pressure to change its name.
Source: Think Progress, “Federal Patent Office Rejects ‘Washington Redskin Potatoes’ Trademark Due To ‘Derogatory’ Term,” Travis Waldron, March 19, 2014