Tiger Woods’ apparel brand, Sun Day Red, is facing accusations of “unlawfully” hijacking a logo belonging to Tigeraire, a company that produces cooling products for athletes, according to a court filing.
The filing was submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday, September 25, according to a New York Post report.
Following Woods’ split from Nike after a 27-year partnership worth $500 million, he launched Sun Day Red with the backing of TaylorMade Golf.
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The company had filed a trademark application for their logo, which honors the golf icon’s signature red shirt worn on game days and his incredible 15 career major victories.
However, the application is now being challenged by Tigeraire, as both logos portray the shape of a Tiger and bear a very close resemblance.
According to CNBC, the court filing claims: “The actions of SDR, TaylorMade, and Tiger Woods blatantly ignore Tigeraire’s long-standing protected mark, brand, and identity, violate federal and state intellectual property law, and disregard the consumer confusion their actions create.”
The filing concludes, “SDR’s application should be denied.”
In response, TaylorMade expressed confidence in its legal position, and said to CNBC, “We have full confidence in the securitization of our trademarks.” A spokesperson for Woods declined to comment.
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben told CNBC that the case is likely to be resolved before going to trial.
“[Tigeraire] now likely gives themselves an opportunity to negotiate with Tiger and TaylorMade to see if there’s a resolution that might be had,” Gerben said. “By filing this opposition, the portable fan company basically gets a seat at the table to negotiate.”
For Sun Day Red to secure its trademark, it must win the case against Tigeraire, and the company has 40 days to respond to the notice by the opposition.
While they say a tiger doesn’t change its stripes, Woods may have to make adjustments given the ongoing legal dispute. Nonetheless, the golf legend will be hoping for a favorable outcome to safeguard the brand he has invested in for years.
