TAMPA, Fla. — A championship year for Tampa Bay has come with some championship nicknames.

The big debate seems to be: Tompa Bay or Champa Bay?

Regardless of which side you’re on, you’ll probably start seeing some of these names for sale in the near future.

“Tampa Bay has had such a great sports season over the last year or so, right? A lot of tweeting different phrases and making different T-shirts with different phrases,” said Mindi Richter. She's an intellectual property attorney at Schumaker.

Richter explains as these nicknames gain notoriety across the area, they also gain value.

She says so far, we’ve seen at lease three trademark applications for the “Champa Bay" nickname, and several for the “Tompa Bay,” nickname.

They are usually awarded to the party that applies first.

“If you are the one to be able to secure that particular trademark that then becomes popular and highly desirable, you have a good chance at either making a lot of money through your own potential business opportunities, or perhaps later licensing the trademark or selling the trademark to another party that wants those rights,” said Richter.

Richter says a trademark can cost the applicant roughly $1,200, but that’s a small price worth paying to use a phrase on all kinds of merchandise.