Danish Superliga to blame for European Super League's demise

The European Super League organizers are reportedly trying to get teams to start discussions again for a 2025 debut. They are reportedly unfazed by the original setback in 2021.

An essential component of the original proposals was the inclusion of Premier League clubs in the revised framework. Regardless, the ESL organizers are hell-bent on moving forward regardless of the presence or absence of English teams.

A22 Sports Management, the ESL’s creator and main sponsor has renewed talks with English clubs. Their motivation comes from a recent court decision that deemed the ESL blockage by UEFA and FIFA to be ‘unlawful‘. It is possible that a club-controlled tournament loosely tied to established regulating bodies might be legislated in Spain if the country’s courts follow an EU suggestion.

Danish Superliga prevents European Super League name

But there are still some bumps on the way. Nasser Al-Khelaifi, head of Paris Saint-Germain, is spearheading the European Teams Association, which is strongly against the plan. The association represents almost 200 teams.

Additionally, Premier League clubs may find the idea of an impartial English football regulator to be an obstacle. But it seems like they have hit yet another major roadblock.

It will be impossible for the Super League to trademark its name. After a lengthy legal battle, the European Union has decided that the name “Super League” belongs to Denmark’s premier league.

The European Union claims that doing so would be capitalizing on the Nordic championship’s already considerable level of reputation. Several objections, delays, and the generally sluggish bureaucracy in Europe’s institutions have kept the process going strong for the last three years.

Truthfully, the situation might have ended much earlier had the parties not been able to come to an agreement, which almost occurred but ultimately fell through. After realizing their requests were unmet, the Danes decided to go on.

The Superliga, the highest level of Danish football, and the Super League are too similar for the former to be registered as a trademark in the European Union, according to a recent ruling by the UEIPO. The Super League can file an appeal with the EUIPO about the ruling.

In 2013, the Superliga successfully registered its trademark, which it then contested in court.

Danish top flight says it is fully against the idea

In a statement, Superliga CEO Claus Thomsen expressed his satisfaction with the decision. “We are very happy that the EU’s trademark authority has agreed that the trademark ‘The Super League’ in the EU will violate the value that the Danish clubs have invested in 3F Superliga.

“We have always been against the big clubs’ desire for a new European league. Also, we believe there must be openness and qualification for international club tournaments via national competitions.

“Football should not be a closed party for clubs that do not dare to participate in an open competition, so of course we are extra happy about this victory outside the pitch.”

Meanwhile, no one from the Super League was available to comment on EUIPO’s ruling.

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