Inter Miami FC is just over two weeks away from playing their first game in franchise history – but they could end up taking the field under a whole new name after just one season.
NBC Sports reports the team and Major League Soccer lost a key battle Monday in a lawsuit brought by Italian soccer club Inter Milan, which claims the term ‘Inter’ is synonymous with their club.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office dismissed an argument from the Miami team, owned in part by soccer legend David Beckham, to show that they had valid right to use the term.
The Italian team, which was founded over 110 years ago, had announced their plans to take legal action against Inter Miami shortly after the name was announced.
A decision is expected by the end of 2020, well after the team’s regular season finale on October 3rd at home against the Columbus Crew. Inter Miami will play their first two games on the road before their home opener on March 14th against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
