Riley owns six trademarks to various forms of “Three-Peat” and has the rights to use that on merchandise, including apparel and beverages. He applied for the trademark in 1988, after the Lakers won two consecutive championships. But the Lakers lost to the Pistons in the Finals the following season.

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs can become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls. But if they do, the NFL will have to pay a company owned by an NBA legend for its use of “three-peat” or variations such as “threepeat,” “three peat” and “3 peat.”