Liverpool Football Club lose out on bid to trademark city’s name

Liverpool Football Club has lost out in its bid to trademark the word Liverpool.

The Intellectual Property Office has turned down the application from the club to trademark the city’s name.

The club had argued that the trademark would only relate to club products and services.
However the IPO said that the main reason for rejecting the application relates to the ‘geographical significance’ of Liverpool as a city.

Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore argued that the application was solely aimed at people across the world who are selling mass produced football merchandise.

But the move sparked criticism and mayor Joe Anderson said the city council would oppose the move.

A club spokesman told the Liverpool Echo: “Liverpool Football Club can confirm that our application to trademark the word “Liverpool” in the context of football products and services has been unsuccessful.

“The Club accepts the decision that has been taken by the Intellectual Property Office, due primarily to what the official judgement cites as “the geographical significance” of Liverpool as a city in comparison to place names that have been trademarked by other football clubs in the UK.

“We will, however, continue to aggressively pursue those large scale operations which seek to illegally exploit our intellectual property and would urge the relevant authorities to take decisive action against such criminal activity wherever it exists.”