It might seem ludicrous to believe that Major League Baseball ever could be confused with an esports league, but don’t tell that to the MLB.
Activision Blizzard recently revealed the new Overwatch League — which even Patriots owner Robert Kraft has bought into — and its corresponding logo. MLB apparently feels the logo too closely resembles its own, and is considering filing an official opposition.
Here’s a side-by-side view of the logos, which both feature two-tone backgrounds underneath white silhouettes of players:
MLB might have a point, but it seems like a stretch to say that the Overwatch League’s logo in any way could harm MLB’s brand — especially when you consider that Major League Gaming, arguably the world’s premier esports organization, has a logo that’s far more similar.
Lest we forget the NBA which, though a vertical rectangle rather than a horizontal one, also features the exact same color scheme as MLB’s.
The Overwatch League’s logo reportedly has been on MLB’s radar for a while now.
The league’s logo was approved on March 28, commencing a 30-day period during which other companies could file complaints, according to law firm Morrison/Lee. MLB apparently needed more time to think about it, so it requested a 90-day extension after 29 days.
That extension reportedly expires next week, by which time MLB must decide whether it wants to file an opposition to the trademark.
