Trade mark dispute over use of baseball Future Stars

Sony Interactive goes to trial this month in the US in a trade mark dispute over their baseball video game MLB: The Show, which has been the leading baseball console game since its launch in 2006.

Sony is being sued by Program 15, who own the rights in the real Future Stars Series, which is a development program for amateur baseball players, for using the phrase “Future Stars Series Program” in its game.

Interestingly, Sony has used that phrase in its game since 2017, a year after Program 15 first launched its development program.

In the UK, Program 15 would be prevented from claiming damages going back more than 6 years, but could still apply for an injunction preventing future use.