Global entertainment giant Disney has backed down in its bid to trademark the term “Seal Team 6.”
The company is expected to withdraw its application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office after the U.S. Department of the Navy lodged a counter-bid.
A spokesperson for Disney said the application, made earlier in the year, had been pulled “out of deference” to the Navy.
The company was planning to use the Seal trademark to support a number of toy product launches, while a television series or film about the squad was also rumored to be in the pipeline.
However, in its recent counter application, the Navy claimed to have first used the term as long ago as 1962.
Chief Navy spokesman Danny Hernandez commented that the service branch is “fully committed” to protecting its trademark rights.
He added: “The request for Navy Seals and Seal Team was to broaden our existing portfolio.”