ARTICLE · 16 MAY 2023

Trade Marks And Sport

ENS

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This article deals with recent trade mark matters involving famous sporting brands.

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This article deals with recent trade mark matters involving famous sporting brands.

Nike

Taking it to the Max

There's a young whippersnapper who drives very fast, an uber-confident young man, called Max Verstappen. Max has taken over Formula One, a sport that was dominated by a certain Lewis.

Trade mark application

Like all sports stars, Max Verstappen knows that his fame has provided him with commercially exploitable intangible IP assets that he is very keen to protect. Somewhat predictably, Max wants to launch a clothing brand using the name MAX 1. In December 2021 Max filed a Benelux trade mark application for MAX 1 for clothing, as well as retail and entertainment services.

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