Nike, FIFA and "USA 2003"

Can FIFA have a trademark over soccer-related uses of "USA 2003?" Nike thinks not, and went to Federal court to get a declaratory judgment. The AP reports: Nike sues over trademark rights to soccer

Sports apparel giant Nike Inc. sued soccer's international governing body Wednesday, saying it was entitled to use the words ‘‘USA 2003" to promote the female U.S. soccer team despite claims by the association that those words violate its trademark rights.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Nike said that it wanted to take pre-emptive measures after the Federation Internationale de Football Association threatened its own legal action.