The Premier Football League Files NFT and Crypto Trademark Applications‍

The English Premier League (EPL) has registered two cryptocurrency and NFT trademarks in the United States, indicating that the world's most popular sports league is preparing to expand its brand into the digital realm.

The trademarks were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) last week, and licensed trademark attorney Michael Kondoudis revealed them in a tweet on June 6.

Over a billion people across the world watch the Premier League on a regular basis. Despite the lack of concrete intentions for the trademarks, Kondousis described the action as a "logical step to protect the brand in today's economy," which is shifting toward cryptocurrency, NFTs, and the metaverse.

The two trademark filings include the league's name and logo of a "lion wearing a crown in three-quarter view," with lions on each handle and a crown on top, and the other a "loving cup trophy" with lions on each handle and a crown on top.

The trademark registrations cover the creation and selling of digital assets, virtual clothes, cryptocurrency, and media files authenticated by NFTs, among other things. The use of Premier League trademarks in "virtual, augmented, and mixed reality software" is also covered.

Kondoudis also stated that he believes the number of sports teams and leagues entering the metaverse will continue to rise – a forecast that appears to be accurate from our vantage point.

The Premier League isn't the only sports league that has dabbled with the virtual world. Sports leagues, teams, and even individual players have started registering trademarks, dropping NFT projects, and buying up metaverse properties at an alarming rate, with soccer being one of the sports leading the charge.

Manchester City, the Premier League champions, has netted a contract deal with Sony to develop the metaverse's first virtual soccer stadium, which will use Sony's Hawk-Eye technology to make gaming more realistic from the comfort of your own home.