Manchester City has been slammed with a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by the clothing company Superdry.
The Premier League winners have a multi-million-pound deal with Japanese brewer Asahi, whose signature product, the non-alcoholic ‘Super “Dry” 0.0%’, is the principal sponsor of City’s training gear.
Superdry, a global clothing company, claims that using it on City’s gear appears identical to their own emblem and may confuse customers.
Superdry has asked for an injunction to prevent City from employing the alleged violation, and Pep Guardiola’s team appears to have practiced in other tops this week.
“The court would be asked to consider whether the marks are “identical,” which involves looking at the overall impression created by the marks,” said Rebecca Young, partner and head of media law at JMW Solicitors.
“You do not need to show confusion as part of the legal test. If successful in the claim, Manchester City would need to stop using the mark and to deliver up for destruction or look to modify items of clothing that carry the mark, and at its own expense.”
One of the club’s corporate lounges at the Etihad Stadium is similarly named after an Asahi product, although it does not appear to be part of the High Court action.
