Kobe Bryant has taken an even bigger step into the business world on the heels of his officially announced retirement.

Bryant’s company, Kobe Inc., which was incorporated in California in 2013, has filed for various trademarks that are linked to his own marketing campaign for his final season.

In October, Kobe Inc. trademarked its name with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Late last month, the business filed to trademark “HeroVillain” and a “HV” logo, which stands for hero/villain as well as a “KB20″ mark, symbolizing Bryant’s 20 years in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The intention of Kobe Inc. filing for the “HV” logo, which plays on his polarizing draw, is to use the mark for everything from trading cards and action figures to books and shot glasses.

The logo first appeared on Bryant’s retirement poem, published on The Players’ Tribune on Sunday, and distributed to fans at the Lakers game on Sunday. Limited quantities of gear with the “HV” and the “KB20″ logo were on sale at the Staples Center, but a more expansive selection of merchandise appeared on Bryant’s official website.

A representative for Bryant declined to comment on future marketing plans.

Bryant’s retirement tweet was retweeted nearly 130,000 times in three days.

Since Bryant formally announced his intention to retire, tickets to see Bryant at home and on the road have skyrocketed. A Ticketmaster official told ESPN.com on Wednesday that ticket sales to Lakers games, at home and on the road, since the announcement were up 85 percent.

Ticket prices to the last Lakers game of the year, which is April 13 against the Utah Jazz, have soared on the resale market. Within two hours of the announcement, the cheapest ticket to that game rose from $125 to $400 on StubHub. By Wednesday afternoon, the get-in price had risen another $140 to $540 for the worst seat in the house.

Bryant has expressed his desire to immerse himself in the business world after he retires. He said Tuesday after a game against the Philadelphia 76ers that he had grown tired of doing commercials. He is not listed as an endorser of sports drink BodyArmor, but he is an investor in the company.

 

 

Source: espn.go.com