Journey guitarist Neal Schon faces a deadline in his effort to trademark the name Journey Beyond, a potential offshoot project that could factor into the band’s future.
According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the application began on April 10, 2025. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued Schon a notice of allowance for the name on March 24, 2026, but further action is needed before the mark can be registered.
“Almost six months have passed since Schon was instructed to complete a final step to trademark the group, called Journey Beyond,” music writer Nick DeRiso reported. “This would have capped a drawn-out application procedure that began way back on April 10, 2025. Schon must now meet a critical deadline this week – or risk having to start over.”
The report noted that Journey’s farewell shows began in late February while Schon’s attorneys continued corresponding with the USPTO. Under the agency’s process, an applicant must file either a statement of use or an extension request within six months of a notice of allowance.
“He finally received a ‘notice of allowance’ to trademark a group called Journey Beyond on March 24, 2026, but there’s more paperwork to do,” DeRiso wrote. “In order to actually receive trademark protection, Schon ‘must file a statement of use or extension request within six months of the NOA issuance date,’ according to the USPTO. That’s this Thursday, Sept. 24. What happens if he misses the deadline? The application will be considered ‘abandoned.’”
As of the report’s publication, it was not publicly clear whether Schon had filed the necessary paperwork or sought an extension. A lapse would not necessarily prevent a future application for the name, but it would end the current application process.
