The European Super League (ESL) has been denied the registration of its name as a trademark in the European Union due to existing trademark rights held by Denmark's top-flight league, the Danish Superliga. The ESL, introduced in April 2021 as a potential replacement for UEFA's Champions League, had applied to trademark its name with the European Union's Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
The Danish Superliga announced that the EUIPO ruled in its favor, stating that the ESL would need to either change its name or challenge the decision. The Danish Superliga expressed satisfaction with the ruling, emphasizing the value that Danish clubs have invested in the '3F Superliga' brand.
The CEO of the Danish Superliga, Claus Thomsen, highlighted the league's stance against the formation of a new European league by major clubs. Thomsen emphasized the importance of openness and qualification through national competitions in international club tournaments, advocating against closed competitions.
The Superliga, Denmark's premier men's football division comprising 12 clubs, currently sees FC Midtjylland leading the table with 45 points from 21 games.
The ESL, along with its promoters A22 Sports, recently unveiled plans for the future of European football, following a ruling by the European Court of Justice against UEFA's regulations on new competitions. The ESL's proposed structure includes a three-tier, 64-club men's competition and a two-league, 32-club women's competition to replace the UEFA Champions League and Women's Champions League.
The men's competition would feature the 'Star League' and 'Gold League,' each with 16 clubs, and a 'Blue League' with 32 clubs, allowing promotion and relegation between them based on domestic performance. The ESL also announced plans to broadcast games for free on a new streaming platform.
A survey conducted by A22 Sports indicated that 72% of European football fans supported the ESL project, despite opposition from UEFA and some national leagues.
