David Beckham's Inter Miami could be forced to change club name this year

Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Inter Miami had a successful start to the competition following their debut last year. The David Beckham-owned club succeeded in securing qualification for the MLS Cup playoffs, only to lose out in penalties to another debutant Nashville SC in the first round itself. However, their resemblance to Serie A giants Inter Milan propelled trademark battle, following which Inter Miami might be forced to change their name. 

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MLS news: Inter Miami lose first round of legal battle

The MLS club were engulfed in a crisis in the debut season itself, after ending up in a trademark battle with Inter Milan. On Monday, the San Siro outfit won the first round of the legal battle in court, further mounting pressure on the former Manchester United midfielder. 

In 2014, Inter Milan filed for a trademark application with the United States Patent Trademark Office, for the use of the term 'Inter' because it pertains to soccer. The legal battle emerged onto the scene in 2019. In December last year, the USPTO ruled on the resemblance of the names of the two teams.

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Inter Miami name change still a possibility 

According to a report by Spanish media publication AS, the USPTO propounded that Inter Miami's likelihood of confusion "must be thrown out." The patent office also claimed that Inter Miami failed to establish any sufficient link between MLS and the use of the word 'Inter,' which might spell trouble for Beckham and the MLS outfit. 

It is still not clear if Inter Miami will be forced to change their name, which would involve spending millions of dollars. Interestingly, such high profile cases are often solved in the board room by way of negotiations and not in the courtroom. But the report claims that the MLS outfit are very threatened to change their name. 

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Inter Miami value estimated at €62 million

Inter Miami made their debut in the MLS on March 1, 2020. The team had a forgettable debut, losing out the game against Los Angeles FC 1-0. The team boasts the likes of former Real Madrid and Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain in the ranks, whose signing last summer propelled a surge in the team's roster value to €62 million, according to Transfermarkt. Besides, former Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi is also plying his trade with the club. 

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Image courtesy: Blaise Matuidi Instagram