The Sacramento Kings basketball team has filed for rights to several names should the team move to Anaheim’s Honda Center.
A lawyer representing the Maloof family, owner of the Kings, has filed for trademarks for Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Kings, Anaheim Royals, Anaheim Royals of Southern California, Los Angeles Royals and Orange County Royals, according to several reports.
The Kings were known as the Royals when they were founded in upstate New York in 1945 and played as the Royals in Cincinnati from 1958 through 1972.
The team’s name was switched to Kings in 1972 when it moved to Kansas City, home to the Kansas City Royals baseball team.
The Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985.
The team could be looking at reviving the Royals name in Anaheim to avoid confusion with hockey’s Los Angeles Kings.
At recent home games, the basketball team has worn throwback Royals jerseys.
The city of Anaheim, which owns Honda Center, mandates that a basketball team at the arena include the city’s name.
A few years back, Anaheim fought and lost a name battle with baseball’s Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, which play at neighboring Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
Anaheim Arena Management LLC, owned by Broadcom Corp. cofounder Henry Samueli, runs the city-owned arena and has been trying to lure a basketball team.
Samueli also owns the Anaheim Ducks, which plays home games at Honda Center.
The Kings have until mid-April to decide on a move to Anaheim.
