Adidas Won't Let FC Barcelona Trademark its Stripes

Adidas has opposed a trademark filed by Spanish football giant FC Barcelona.

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The trademark in question: A red and blue three-stripe design, is the subject of a 53-page Notice of Opposition filed by Adidas against FC Barcelona.

Citing “priority and likelihood of confusion” and “dilution by blurring”, Adidas is hoping to put a stop to the trademark application that FC Barcelona filed at the US Patent and Trademark Office.

According to WIPR, the mark is a “square containing seven vertical stripes. The 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th stripes from the left are blue, and the remaining three stripes are garnet”. The trademark allows Barcelona to use the design on t-shirts, footwear, posters, photographs, tennis balls and rackets.

In its report, Adidas claims it has used the three-stripe mark since 1952, and that its endorsement of artists like Kanye West involve the use of the three-stripes. The brand also pointed out examples where the three-stripes was integral to the design of its apparel and footwear.

No verdict has been reached yet, but expect the outcome to be major news.