Major League Soccer LLC lost a round in its trademark battle with F.C. Internazionale Milano S.p.A. over the Italian soccer club’s bid to register “Inter” as a trademark.
MLS argued the mark will likely cause confusion with similar marks used by youth soccer organizations, such as the Chicago Inter Soccer Club, and the Inter Soccer Association, which competes in a U.S. professional development league.
Siding with F.C. Internazionale Milano, better known as Inter Milan, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board said MLS hadn’t shown it has a “legitimate interest” in avoiding a likelihood of confusion between Milan’s “Inter” mark and ...