LA Gear challenges 'LA' trademarks of Rams, Chargers

LA Gear, the shoe brand that became famous for its light-up sneakers in the early 1990s, has launched a trademark dispute against the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.

The company asserts that trademark filings for "LA Rams" and "LA Chargers" are too similar to LA Gear because they share "LA," according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.

Filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveal that the Rams and Chargers were in settlement talks, but the Rams recently broke off those talks and earlier this month filed a formal answer to LA Gear's claim of ownership.

The Rams' rebuttal asserts that LA Gear can't own "LA" because it refers to the abbreviation of the city of Los Angeles. Furthermore, the Rams point out that hundreds of trademarks have been granted within the clothing goods category for the terms LA or Los Angeles.

Records with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that LA Gear remains in settlement talks with the Chargers, but one trademark lawyer who spoke with Rovell doesn't think the company has a winning case.

"The Cleveland Browns probably have a better chance of winning the Super Bowl than LA Gear does of winning this case," Josh Gerben said.