The link between sport and Industrial Property continues to strengthen. A year ago we analyzed how certain football celebrations could be registered as distinctive signsToday we find a new example of this trend in lamina yamal, who has recently registered seven European Union trademarks filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
Personal branding as a strategic asset
Registering trademarks at the EUIPO is not a minor procedure: it involves build a legal protection framework for intangible assets that will accompany the athlete on and off the field. In Yamal's case, this strategy will allow him to control the use of his name and surname through two different trademark registrations, as well as the gesture he makes when scoring a goal (304) in five other registered trademarks, preventing third parties from using any of these elements as trademarks or taking advantage of them without your authorization.
Last May, the first trademarks were registered at the EUIPO in relation to Sportswear and footwear, caps and various types of clothingShortly after, protection was extended by requesting the registration of word marks “LY304”, “304” and “304 FC”, for a wider range of products, including, soccer balls, gloves, dolls, glasses, helmets, watches, headphones, backpacks, weight bars and electronic games. This extension of protection reflects a strategic, long-term vision, which recommends registering a trademark not only for products or services whose launch is imminent, but also for those that might be interested in extending the use of the trademark in the medium or long term.
Gesture as a distinctive sign
A year ago we pointed out how players like Kylian Mbappé had registered their celebrations as trademarks. In the case of Yamal, the protection around his gesture when dialing (number 304), refers to the last three digits of the postal code of your neighborhood, Rocafonda, in Mataró (Barcelona).
Lamine Yamal's trademark: Record of the gesture made when scoring a goal
The record of this celebration does not protect its execution on the field of play (where any other player could do it without breaking the mark), but its use in the economic sphereThat is, it grants the owner an exclusive right to commercially exploit the gesture protected by the trademark and prevents third parties from using it in products or services without their authorization, thus projecting it as an asset susceptible to commercial exploitation.
Likewise, it is worth remembering that, in addition to the protection conferred by the trademark, in some cases claims could be raised based on Copyright (provided sufficient originality is proven) or in the protection of the right to honor, intimacy and self-image.
A forward-looking strategy
A footballer's career, however successful, has a limited lifespan. Trademark registration is a key tool that allows extend the economic, social and cultural projection of an elite footballer beyond his career on the pitchIn this sense, Yamal's commitment reflects a clear awareness that its image and distinctive symbols are part of an intangible heritage that should be protected from the outset.
Furthermore, the union between such a peculiar and personal way of celebrating his goals, a number that for the protagonist has a very special meaning and his geographical origin also reinforces the authenticity of the brand, creating a story that combines personal identity, connection to their place of origin, sporting success and notoriety.
With the case of Lamine Yamal a trend is confirmed increasingly consolidated: Elite footballers are betting on the strategy of protecting as trademarks not only their name and nickname, but also their gestures when celebrating a goal and other personal symbols representative of their identity..
At Elzaburu, we closely follow this development, convinced that intellectual property has become a key element in managing athletes' identities and creating value beyond the field of play.
Fernando Ilardia, Partner in the area of Partner Brands by Elzaburu
