Article by Ed Malyon, Independent

Snoop Dogg has become embroiled in a legal quarrel with one of the NHL‘s biggest brands after the Toronto Maple Leafs opposed the rapper’s bid to trademark his new cannabis company.

Snoop, referred to in the legal paperwork for the trademark by his real name Calvin Broadus, was attempting to protect the intellectual property and branding of his marijuana start-up Leafs by Snoop and filed for a trademark in July last year.

The Maple Leafs insist that the ‘unusual spelling of Leafs could lead to confusion’ and officially filed their opposition in December.

Toronto’s ice hockey franchise also had objections to the branding and logos being proposed by Mr Broadus’ new enterprise.

“The similarity between the marks is exacerbated by the design elements of the LEAFS BY SNOOP Mark.

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The Maple Leafs were keen to emphasise that they had long-standing trademarks over the peculiar spelling of Leafs and felt Snoop Dogg’s business, which launched in Colorado in November 2015, was infringing on their rights.