Miami: the least expected confrontation between a nightclub and a golf tournament

He golf tournament LIVfinanced by the public fund of Saudi Arabiahas the least expected enemy: a nightclub in Miami Beach.

And it is that both share the same name: LIV, which in both cases refers to the number 54 written in Roman numerals. In the case of the golf tournament, because it is a 54 hole event and in golf 54 it is the perfect qualification, and in the case of disco it is because it is in the Historic Fountainebleau hotel, founded in 1954and also because it is a place that is traditionally known as the “Workshop 54from Miami.

While it’s true that both have their reasons for defending their names, the nightclub -whose current owner is Dave Grutmanwhich made it the epicenter of celebrity entertainment-imposed a blockade on the court to prevent the golf tournament from filing its name. In the lawsuit, they allege that the two marks are “visually, phonetically, and phonetically similar, while the goods or services are also similar.”

The Miami LIV trademark was registered internationally 15 years ago and, according to lawyers, “Consumers will believe that the LIV Golf Tournament is endorsed or sponsored by LIV Miami, and trademark registration of LIV golf will dilute the brand equity achieved by the club.”

If the nightclub achieves its goal in court, the golf tournament will no longer be able to continue using the name it came out with more than a year ago. This tournament, although it benefits from Saudi funds, is organized by Greg Norman, of Palm Beach Gardens, also in the state of Florida. The tournament managed in a very short time to captivate many golfers, professionals and amateurs, who preferred it to the traditional PGA Tournament.

The first LIV Golf event in the United States this year is set to take place this weekend at Gallery Golf Club apart from Tucson, Arizona. There is no indication that there could be a legal definition on the branding issue before the weekend tournament takes place.

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