ESPN Bet logo draws scrutiny over “striking similarity” to social sportsbook operator

Branding for the PENN Entertainment-powered ESPN Bet sportsbook has been called into question by social sportsbook operator BroThrow over a “striking similarity” to its own logotype.

The ESPN Bet branding was unveiled by ESPN as a “custom content identity” last week (October 19) and features the trademark ESPN logo with ‘Bet’ in mint green with the logo color deliberately chosen to be “welcoming, inclusive, unexpected, and fun”.

A secondary simplified version of the logo features the trademark ESPN ‘E’ inside of a ‘B’, both in the color mint, symbolizing the bet element of the sportsbook brand.

However, it has been suggested there are notable similarities between the ESPN Bet logo and BroThrow’s, in that they both use the same black and mint color combination, with lettering inside the ‘B’.

Users of professional networking site Linkedin and X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter, were quick to draw attention to the likenesses between the two logos, prompting more remarks from observers.

Founded in 2019 by entrepreneur Brady Sharp and based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, BroThrow operates primarily as a social sports betting site, allowing users to place bets with their friends without paying a processing fee.

Self-billed as the ‘Facebook Marketplace’ of sports betting, BroThrow users compete directly with each other by “throwing” out bets for friends, group mates, or the broader community to accept.

In a post on LinkedIn, BroThrow called on ESPN to reach out over the similarities between the two logos.

“Two days ago, after ESPN Bet announced their new logo, we made a post here about the striking similarity between their logo and ours,” the post read.

“The post was getting significant traction, particularly from our peers in the gaming industry. But? This morning, it was inexplicably taken down by LinkedIn. The chat agents were unable to provide any answers and the support ticket we raised mysteriously disappeared.

“We’d love to chat with the decision-makers at ESPN Bet. If you’re in our network and can make an introduction, please reach out,” the post concluded.

EGR North America reached out to BroThrow founder Brady Sharp for comment on the story.

EGR North America: When did you first notice the similarity with the ESPN Bet logo?

Brady Sharp (BS): We noticed it immediately after the announcement. We stay in tune with the goings-on in the gaming industry, so it didn’t take long for the mint green “B” to start popping up on our social feeds.

EGR North America: Have you sought legal advice regarding the similarity?

BS: Yes, we have IP counsel that we’ve worked with from the beginning—we filed for a patent in late 2019 and trademarks not long after. We’ve also had conversations with other trademark attorneys in the days since—there is broad consensus that there’s a case here.

EGR North America: What sort of engagement have you had from either of ESPN/Walt Disney Company or PENN Entertainment surrounding the similarities in logo?

BS: We’re just now starting to reach out to ESPN and Penn management. We wanted to let the PR wheels start to turn before contacting them directly—hopefully they’ve noticed the press and are prepared to respond.

EGR North America: Would you consider launching legal action on this issue?

BS: We haven’t ruled anything out at this point. We’d like to give it a few more days to see if we’re able to connect with the right people at ESPN and Penn before pursuing legal action.

ESPN Bet, which is powered by legacy Barstool Sportsbook technology from PENN Entertainment as part of its $1.5bn licensing deal with the Walt Disney Company subsidiary, is due to launch in November.

EGR has reached out to PENN Entertainment for comment on the story, but has not received a response at the time of publication.