Conor McGregor fails in latest EU trademark battle with Dutch firm

Gordon Deegan

Conor McGregor has lost out in an effort to trademark his name in the EU after a Dutch firm objected to his claim.

The EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) upheld the objections of Netherlands-based firm McGregor IP B.V. against the Mixed Martial Arts star’s company, McGregor Sports and Entertainment Ltd (MSEL), which applied to register ‘Conor McGregor’ as a trademark for the sale of clothing, footwear and sportswear across the bloc.

The Dutch firm designs, manufactures, distributes and sells mainly apparel and accessories under the McGREGOR brand.

In its decision, the EUIPO rejected the trademark application after finding that “there is a likelihood of confusion”, including a likelihood of association, on the part of the public, concerning McGregor IP B.V.’s own trademark and the proposed ‘Conor McGregor’ trademark.

The EUIPO found that McGregor IP B.V.’s opposition is well-founded and that MSEL must bear the fees and costs incurred by the Dutch clothing firm.

This is the second time that the office has refused to allow MSEL to register the ‘Conor McGregor’ brand after opposition from McGregor IP B.V.

The Dutch firm was previously successful in December 2020 in opposing an earlier application by MSEL to register ‘Conor McGregor’ as a trademark after a four-year battle.

The Dutch company acquired the complete ‘McGregor’ trademark portfolio and all other McGregor intellectual property (IP) rights in October 2017.

In the current case, McGregor’s MSEL again employed Dublin-based intellectual property law experts, legal firm FRKelly, to advance its case.

In a submission to the EUIPO, FRKelly denied the trademarks are similar, adding they can be readily distinguished and, as a result, the average consumer will not believe that the goods of ‘Conor McGregor’ originate from ‘McGregor’.

McGregor’s MSEL firm now has the option of appealing the EUIPO ruling.