LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson facing fresh legal headache
LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson is facing a fresh legal heading after his HyFlyers team were sued over alleged copyright infringement.
Phil Mickelson is facing a fresh legal headache after his LIV Golf team was sued over alleged copyright infringement.
The lawsuit was filed in New Jersey by Argentinian skateboard and lifestyle apparel company Cool Brands Supply.
Cool Brands Supply launched 20 years ago and attorneys for the company claim Mickelson's HyFlyers team have ripped it off.
Per Field Level Media, court docs state:
It is further alleged the HyFlyers refused to change their logo and branding following repeated requests from Cool Brands Supply.
"Defendants refused," the docs add.
Mickelson, 53, is the team captain of the HyFlyers.
The team also includes American golfers Brendan Steele, James Piot and Cameron Tringale.
There are 12 teams of four players in the LIV Golf league. Team captains include the likes of Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith.
Players compete individually for a $20m prize purse and there is also $5m split between the top three teams.
Six-time major champion Mickelson joined LIV Golf for a reported $200m fee in June 2022.
LIV Golf executives have previously stated the desire to sell off each team as franchises.
The rival league is currently heading towards the end of their second campaign.
The tour will soon play their 12th event of their 14-tournament campaign in Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms.
After that they will head to Miami before concluding the 2023 season with a $50m team championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
LIV Golf is backed by the Saudi Arabia's vast sovereign wealth fund, the PIF.
This week US senator Richard Blumenthal issued a subpoena to the subsidiary of the PIF regarding the proposed deal between golf's organisations.
Blumenthal gave a 13 October deadline for a response. Lawmakers want to see documents relating to the PGA Tour's 'framework agreement' with the PIF.
Read more:
- Report: LIV Golf officials to skip latest PGA Tour-PIF senate hearing
- Sir Nick Faldo burns LIV Golf's Greg Norman with brutal post
- Tour coach on Koepka's brutal comments about young golfer: "It did him good"
- REVEALED: Who would win a LIV Ryder Cup? Team LIV USA vs Team LIV Europe
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