Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct Appeals Damages in Trademark Dispute Over Santa Monica Polo Club Brand

Billionaire businessman Mike Ashley’s company, Sports Direct, is back before the Court of Appeal today as it seeks to challenge damages awarded in a trademark infringement claim brought by the Beverly Hills Polo Club brand.

The appeal follows a long-running dispute in which Beverly Hills Polo Club, owned and managed by Lifestyle Equities, claimed Sports Direct had infringed its trademark through products sold under the ‘Santa Monica Polo Club’ brand. Sports Direct lost the infringement case in 2018 and is now appealing against the damages costs it was ordered to pay.

Sports Direct argues the damages should be reduced because it alleges Beverly Hills Polo Club’s licences were not officially registered in the UK. The company contends that without proper public registration, an alleged infringer can be “suddenly confronted with a Trojan Horse full of licensees claiming damages” that they had no means of knowing about.

The company also claims that if a trademark owner can recover money for unregistered partners, it creates a “charter for unjust enrichment,” potentially opening the gateway to the owner collecting more than just their own financial losses.

The case was heard at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, with a judgment expected imminently.

This comes after City AM revealed that law firm RPC lost one of its highest-billing lawyers, Jeremy Drew, who represents Ashley, after he left to join Taylor Wessing.

Mike Ashley’s empire

Ashley founded the company in 1982 and was chief executive until he stepped down in 2022, handing the role to son-in-law Michael Murray while still owning a 70 per cent stake in the company.

Listed on the FTSE 250, the powerhouse firm also holds stakes in Flannels, House of Fraser, GAME and Jack Wills, among other high street names.

In January, Ashley also secured a stake in FTSE 250 property company Grainger, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, and in March, a stake in sports giant Puma, whilst already owning large stakes in Boohoo, Asos, and Hugo Boss.

Ashley is also widely known as the former owner of Newcastle United, which he sold in 2021 to a consortium led by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia for approximately £305 million, ending his 14-year tenure.