On Monday, a distillery situated on Long Island launched legal proceedings against LIV Golf in federal court, contending that the golf organization’s application of “LIV” as a brand for both alcoholic drinks and attire encroaches upon its established trademark.
Long Island Spirits Inc. submitted a complaint against LIV Golf within the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, levying charges against the league for contravening both federal and New York intellectual property statutes pertaining to trademarks.
The specialized distillery is requesting the judiciary to issue an injunction preventing LIV Golf from employing “LIV” in relation to the merchandising of alcoholic products or clothing, and also to award punitive damages due to the league’s “premeditated and deliberate unfair competitive actions and improper utilization of the LIV Marks.”
“The LIV brand, cherished by consumers, now faces jeopardy from Defendant LIV Golf’s unauthorized use. LIV therefore commences this proceeding to safeguard its brand, uphold its standing, and obtain recompense for the losses it accrues daily as LIV Golf maintains its infringement,” the legal filing stated.
The legal action asserts that the golf organization’s employment of the LIV brand has led to “extensive bewilderment among patrons and suppliers, alongside diminishing sales” of its specialized alcoholic items.
The complaint highlights that LIV Golf currently furnishes spirituous concoctions like the LIV Clubhouse Cooler, a vodka-infused mixed drink featuring lemon, basil, and mint, as well as the Have a Beautiful Day cocktail, characterized as a “vibrant, invigorating, and subtly sweet vodka-centric drink that mirrors the LIV hues of blue and green.”
As per the legal filing, Long Island Spirits has held numerous registered and common-law iterations of the “LIV” designation since the year 2007.
The lawsuit states, “From its inception in 2021, LIV Golf has expended vast sums on promotional campaigns designed to acquire recognition, including diversification into ‘LIV’ labeled alcoholic products and attire. These are precisely the sectors where LIV possesses established designations and has cultivated its renown for genuineness.” It further claims, “This intensifying endeavor of unauthorized use profits LIV Golf while eroding LIV’s brand equity and resulting in considerable buyer bewilderment.”
This incident is not the inaugural occasion where the LIV Golf League and its constituent teams have been implicated in brand mark violations. In June 2025, Stinger Tees, Inc., an Ohio-based corporation, commenced a national legal action, charging the Stinger GC team with breaching its trademark.
Stinger Tees is demanding $100 million in compensation; the matter is slated for arbitration on April 15.
The entire South African squad of golfers, comprising previous victors of major tournaments Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, adopted a new identity as Southern Guards GC before the commencement of this season.
In June 2023, Cool Brands Supply, an Argentinian firm, initiated a national legal action concerning brand mark violation against the LIV Golf League and its HyFlyers GC team, led by Phil Mickelson. The firm alleged that they replicated its two-decade-old emblem used for the well-known skate and leisurewear label, Fallen.
Cool Brands Supply withdrew its legal complaint in January 2024.