Companies Express Interest In Purchasing 'Man Of The Match' Trademark

Bookies and sports pundits have been using the phrase "man of the match" to heap praise on the best player in a match for years, "but they may soon have to pay for the privilege," according to Katherine Rushton of the London TELEGRAPH. OFS Group, the intellectual property company that registered the trademark for the phrase in '02, is selling the rights. Bookmakers including Ladbrokes and Paddy Power and beer companies such as Budweiser and Carlsberg "have already expressed their interest in rights." The trademark is "expected to fetch a high six-figure sum." Amid expectations that the new owner "will effectively be able to penalize companies for using the phrase without consent," that number could stretch into the millions. OFS has "already made a return on the trademark" by licensing it for use on packets of KP Peanuts and McCoy’s crisps (TELEGRAPH, 9/16).