By Canadian Press

Raptors in court battle over logo; Monster Energy says clawmarks too similar

Jun 10, 2019 | 12:20 PM

Whether or not the NBA’s Toronto Raptors take home the league championship after tonight’s basketball game, the team still faces a court battle of a very different kind.

Monster Energy, makers of a well-known sports drink, says the team’s logo of a clawed-up basketball is too similar to theirs.

The drink company has been fighting with the Raptors over the image before the U.S. Patent Office’s trial and appeal board since 2015.

That was almost right after Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Raptors, registered the new design. 

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Monster has filed similar complaints in Canada and as far afield as Peru.

U.S. patent lawyer Josh Gerben says there is a small chance the Raptors could lose the right to the popular logo.

He says it’s most likely the companies will settle out of court.

The Canadian Press