Vodka distillery files lawsuit against LIV Golf for trademark violation

A distillery located in Long Island has initiated a lawsuit against LIV Golf in federal court on Monday, claiming that the golf league’s utilization of the “LIV” branding for alcoholic beverages and clothing violates its registered trademark.

Long Island Spirits Inc. has filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleging that the league has breached federal and New York trademark regulations.

The craft distillery is requesting the court to prohibit LIV Golf from using “LIV” in relation to the sale of alcoholic products or apparel and to award punitive damages for the league’s “willful and intentional unfair competition and misuse of the LIV Marks.”

“The LIV brand is cherished by consumers but is currently jeopardized by Defendant LIV Golf’s infringement, and LIV is pursuing this action to safeguard its brand, maintain its reputation, and seek compensation for the damages incurred daily due to LIV Golf’s ongoing infringement,” the lawsuit states.

The complaint asserts that the golf league’s application of the LIV brand has resulted in “widespread confusion among customers, distributors, and a decline in sales” of its craft alcohol offerings.

The lawsuit highlights that LIV Golf is now marketing alcoholic beverages such as the LIV Clubhouse Cooler, a vodka-based cocktail infused with lemon, basil, and mint, along with the Have a Beautiful Day cocktail, described as a “bright, refreshing and slightly sweet vodka-based cocktail that reflects the LIV colors of blue and green.”

According to the lawsuit, Long Island Spirits has held various registered and common-law versions of the “LIV” mark since 2007.

“Since its inception in 2021, LIV Golf has invested billions of dollars in marketing strategies aimed at gaining prominence, including venturing into ‘LIV’ branded alcohol and apparel—specifically the sectors where LIV possesses established marks and has cultivated its reputation for authenticity,” the lawsuit claims. “This increasing campaign of infringement benefits LIV Golf while depleting LIV’s goodwill and resulting in significant consumer confusion.”

This is not the first instance where the LIV Golf League and its teams have faced allegations of trademark infringement. In June 2025, an Ohio-based firm named Stinger Tees, Inc. filed a federal lawsuit, accusing the Stinger GC team of infringing its trademark.

Stinger Tees is pursuing $100 million in damages; the case is scheduled for mediation on April 15.

The team, composed entirely of South African golfers, which features former major championship winners Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, rebranded to Southern Guards GC before the current season.

In June 2023, an Argentine company, Cool Brands Supply, lodged a federal trademark infringement lawsuit against the LIV Golf League and its HyFlyers GC team, led by Phil Mickelson, alleging that they replicated its 20-year-old logo for the well-known skateboarding and lifestyle apparel brand Fallen.

Cool Brands Supply withdrew its lawsuit in January 2024.