LIV nightclub has taken a legal swing at LIV Golf.
According to trademark attorney Josh Gerben, the popular Miami venue has moved to block trademark applications for the controversial golf tour. The Notice of Opposition was filed by the nightclub’s owner, David Grutman, who launched LIV in 2008 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel. Since then, the venue has become one of the most lucrative and popular clubs in the nation, thanks in large part to its live shows as well as celebrity hosts and clientele.
Gerben points out both parties use the Roman numeral for 54 in their names and branding. The nightclub uses the figure as a nod to 1954, the year when the club’s location was built. The golf tour uses the number to represent the number of holes played in its tournaments.
In his filing, Grutman argues LIV Golf’s trademarks are “confusingly similar” to those of LIV nightclub. He states the marks are “visually, phonetically, and aurally similar and the goods/services share similarities,” so much so that the public may mistakenly believe the golf tournament is associated with or endorsed by the venue.
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website, the opposition filing is still “pending.”
LIV Golf was founded in 2021 by former two-time major winner Greg Norman. The tour has faced controversy over its financial support from the Saudi Arabian government as well as its alleged interference with the PGA’s business operations.
