Sports Authority was sued by the U.S. Soccer Federation over its advertisements linked to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The ad, televised during the June 12 U.S. vs. England match showed Taylor Twellman, a forward on the U.S. national team, and Michael Strahan, a retired football player for the New York Giants, wearing official national team uniforms, including the crest and logo. The soccer body objected to the ad because it licenses only one retailer, Dick's Sporting Goods, to use its trademarks.
The USSF said TSA on June 16 rejected its demand to stop airing the ad and the retailer was planning on running the ad during Friday's U.S. match against Slovenia. TSA is also running ads on Facebook and YouTube that include slow-motion close-ups of the crest and logo.
“In addition to being an unfair and unjust business practice,” the complaint said, “TSA's misuse of U.S. Soccer's marks, logos and uniforms is likely to cause confusion, mistake and deception among consumers and give the false impression not.”
The U.S. Soccer Federation is looking to stop Sports Authority from using its trademarks, and seeks triple and punitive damages, and other remedies.
The Sports Authority President & CEO David Campisi said in a statement: “We were caught by surprise and hope to resolve this matter expeditiously and cooperatively with the United States Soccer Federation, and are engaged in active dialogue with them to do so.”
