LIV Golf v PGA Tour and LIV Golf v DP World Tour are already battles that have gone to the courts, but in a new twist, the Saudi-backed venture now faces LIV Golf v LIV.
The name was seemingly chosen for the Saudi-backed venture as it represents the Roman Numeral for the number 54. That of course, equates to the same amount of holes played over their three-day rebel tournaments.
But unwittingly, Greg Norman and co have chosen a name that clashes with one of the most famous nightclubs in America, if not the world. Built at Miami Beach in 1954, LIV the nightclub had cemented a reputation for hosting stars long before the days of quarrelling golf tours and big money defectors.
The venue has hosted global stars of the ilk of Elvis and Frank Sinatra, while in modern times, Prince Harry has attended this year. And according to Golfweek, the club has now filed a court action to try and block LIV Golf’s attempt to register its trademark.
The nightclub has used the LIV branding since 2008, when it was taken over by music and hospitality entrepreneur David Grutman. In the submitted Notice of Opposition, bosses have said that the LIV Golf trademarks are "visually, phonetically, and aurally similar and the goods/services share similarities.”
They also argue their own trademarks are already registered “across the globe” and have been in use for 15 years. They also warn “the registration of the LIV Golf trademarks will dilute the distinctive quality” of the LIV Miami trademarks.
One thing is fair to say, the respective organisations are both synonymous with lavish spending. While the golfing version has used its spending power to attract the likes of Open champion Cameron Smith, according to damnfinelife, the nightclub is more accustomed to receiving huge sums, with rapper Jay-Z reportedly once spending £208,000 on bottles of champagne alone.
But another legal wrangling is the last thing that Norman's organisation needs amid its ongoing battle with their sport's status quo. Rebel players are currently awaiting the outcome of an arbitration hearing to learn whether fines and suspensions imposed by the DP World Tour are valid.
The saga could make for an interesting weekend in October, when the LIV series comes to Miami. The Trump National Doral will host their penultimate event of the 2023 season.
Mirror Sport have approached LIV Golf for comment on this story.
