La Liga [1] vs Barcelona and Real Madrid [0]

La Liga have won a trade mark battle against FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF over the phrase ‘El Clasico’. Barcelona and Real Madrid were hoping to claim the exclusive right to the name given to their historic rivalry. However, La Liga’s registration for the phrase, which was granted in Spain in 2023, prevented the teams from doing so.

There have been tensions between the two clubs and La Liga since Javier Tebas took over as president in 2013, with conflicts over commercial rights frequently emerging. For example, Tebas introduced collective TV rights sales, which saw individual clubs lose out on the right to negotiate their own contracts with broadcasters. Real Madrid took particular issue with this despite the initiative generating greater revenue for Spanish football as a whole.

Barcelona and Real Madrid’s attempt to take control of the El Clasico phrase is likely a consequence of their defiance of and frustration with La Liga’s new policies and initiatives. It also demonstrates their determination to regain their commercial and financial control in Spanish football, of which they previously had as the league’s two biggest clubs.

If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.

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