Mickelson's Team on LIV Golf League Sued

The HyFlyers team led by Phil Mickelson is being sued for allegedly copying the logo of Cool Brands Supply, a company that specializes in manufacturing skateboards and specialized accessories in Argentina.

According to Golf Digest on June 12, Cool Brands Supply filed a lawsuit in the district court in New Jersey last weekend. The plaintiff's attorney said they sent a copyright infringement warning and a cease-and-desist order, but Mickelson ignored it.

The two subjects in dispute are the logo of the Argentine company Fallen Footware product line and the HyFlyers team emblem.

The plaintiffs say they have been using the stylized Fs since 2003. Meanwhile, the defendants' logo has only appeared consistently since the beginning of this year, when the LIV Golf League entered its second season.

Mickelson's team Hyflyers logo is suspected of copying Cool Brands Supply's Fallen Footware logo.

According to Cool Brands Supply's defense team, the logo similarity has caused damage to the client because it is confusing, especially when it appears on clothing and hats.

LIV Golf League launches in June 2022. Owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), each regular tournament has individual and team brackets. During the inaugural season, all competitors are covered.

But this season, all teams must operate as franchises, with the owners holding 75% of the shares and the captains owning the rest. With this method, they will have to cover their own operating costs such as travel, accommodation, salaries for members and even recruiting members through the transfer market.

And without subsidies, the expected revenue for LIV Golf's "member companies" will come from self-sponsored sponsorship, prize money in team races and private sales based on existing reputation. LIV Golf has not mentioned the "loss compensation" plan when a team does not perform well.

Mickelson appeared at a LIV Golf League event wearing a Hyflyers logo shirt and hat. Photo: PGAA

LIV Golf League has 12 teams. Mickelson leads Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale and James Piot. The team only has the HyFlyers logo on their uniforms. Mickelson’s team is in 10th place this season after seven events, or half the schedule.

The fate of LIV Golf League is in doubt after the owner of PIF Saudi suddenly announced that he would jointly own the legal entity with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour to combine the three-party commercial activities on June 6.

National Emblem

Source link