The group behind the European Super League have lost their bid to trademark the name of the competition and may be forced to rebrand.
A22, the group behind the project, attempted to trademark ‘The Super League’, but a similar trademark, SUPERLIGA, is already owned by Danish clubs who play their football in competitions of the same name.
The European Union’s trademark authorities have now ruled that ‘The Super League’ is too similar to ‘SUPERLIGA’ – a literal translation of Super League – and have forbidden A22 from trademarking the name of the competition they continue to try and create.
“We are very happy that the EU’s trademark authority has given us the right that the trademark ‘THE SUPER LEAGUE’ in the EU will violate the value that the Danish clubs have invested in 3F Superliga,” Superligaen A/S director Claus Thomsen said in a statement.
“We have always been against the big clubs’ desire for a new European league. We believe there must be openness and qualification for international club tournaments via national championships. Football shouldn’t be a closed party for clubs that don’t dare to participate in an open competition, so of course it makes us extra happy about this victory outside the field.”
It is understood that Super League officials met with Superligaen counterparts to try and negotiate an agreement, but a collapse in talks saw the process taken to European authorities, who have since ruled in favour of the Danish league.
The European Super League group still have the right to appeal the decision but may be forced to rebrand to abide by EU laws.
Real Madrid and Barcelona remain the only two sides to publicly show their support to the Super League project, which has attracted immense backlash from fans all across the globe.
Barca president Joan Laporta recently named several clubs which he claimed had backed the project, only for several of those to publicly dismiss suggestions they had committed to joining a Super League.
What we know
- The company behind the European Super League has lost its battle to register the trademark
- Danish clubs already own a similar trademark & have blocked the move
- Super League group could still appeal the decision.