Dutch fight Conor McGregor’s attempt to trademark his name

A Dutch company is claiming that Conor McGregor’s attempts to register his own name as a trademark across the EU will create confusion with its own goods.

In an eight page submission, Schiphol-based McGregor IP BV has lodged comprehensive grounds of objection against Conor McGregor's company, McGregor Sports & Entertainment Ltd (MESL) seeking to register the 'Conor McGregor' trademark.

The Dutch company sells clothing and accessories under the 'McGREGOR' brand and has told the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) that consumers might believe that goods sold by Conor McGregor's company are part of products marketed by McGregor IP.

The Dutch company is already opposing plans by MESL seeking to register the ‘The McGregor Follows’ and ‘McGregor Productions’ trademarks.

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Its submission states that it acquired the complete McGREGOR trademark portfolio and all other McGregor intellectual property rights on October 15th 2017 - two months after Conor McGregor's fight with Floyd Mayweather.

The objection states that meanwhile, McGregor IP “has relaunched the McGREGOR brand in the European market”.

It explained that the McGREGOR branded products are being sold under license from McGregor IP through ‘bricks and mortar’ stores and online within the EU.

The submission states: “Today, the McGregor brand still stands for quality, a sophisticated collegiate lifestyle and that unique ability that America has of combining European tradition with a leisure sporting life.

The objection states that the McGREGOR brand's story started in the early 1920s with member of the McGregor clan, Scottish hat maker and entrepreneur, David Doniger emigrating to the US.

The objection points out that McGregor Sports and Entertainment Ltd (MESL) was established in 2014 “as a means of tapping into Conor McGregor’s earnings”.

It states that based on the goods and services for which MSEL has applied its various trademark applications, MSEL will also design, manufacture, distribute and sell apparel, footwear, accessories and other products with a focus on a leisure sporting life.

McGREGOR IP state that there is a likelihood of confusion amongst the public between the brands because of the trademarks’ high similarity.

The Conor McGregor company can now reply to the grounds of objection raised by McGregor IP and a decision is expected on the application before the end of the year.

Last year, McGregor’s plans to obtain a trademark for his planned ‘Notorious’ whiskey came unstuck after he withdrew his trademark application for the whiskey in the face of opposition from a Carlow brewer who had already secured the trademark for ‘Notorious’.

McGregor subsequently launched his whiskey, settling on his second choice name, ‘Proper No Twelve’ for the brand.