Dutch label McGregor wins legal battle against Adidas

The District Court of the Hague, in the Netherlands, has ordered Reebok (a subsidiary of Adidas) to stop selling apparel bearing the name of mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor. The decision was made after Dutch fashion label McGregor argued that Reebok’s clothing line could lead to confusion among consumers. Reebok’s clothing items featured the name “Conor McGregor”, but the MMA fighter’s first name came in a much smaller font than his last name.

“The nature of Adidas/Reebok’s reference to the MMA fighter Conor McGregor in its sportswear is a violation of McGregor’s brand”, said the ruling. The Dutch label, which is also sold in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and China, has a trademark over the name McGregor in the European Union.

Adidas argued that the MMA fighter is as famous as some of the world’s most prominent football players, which would make it impossible for consumers to think that its sportswear line was made by the Dutch brand. However, the judge was not convinced by this argument. He concluded that it would be possible for consumers to think the Dutch brand decided to expand into sportswear or work in collaboration with Reebok.