Fancy a punt on 'man of the match'?

clock •

It is a phrase that has become synonymous with football, but soon Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer et al may have to pay for the privilege of nominating a 'man of the match'.

The Telegraph reports that OFS Group, an intellectual property firm which registered the trademark for the phrase in 2002, is selling the rights. A number of bookmaking and beer giant, including Ladbrokes and Carlsberg, have already expressed an interest, which, as well as the phrase itself, includes the rights to motm.com. OFS has already made a return on the trademark by licensing it for use on packets of KP Peanuts and McCoy's crisps. "It's a phrase that is used all the time and the buyer will have the opportunity to charge for that use," said Metis chief executive Stephen Rober...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Investment

Watch Professional Adviser's Working Lunch with Baillie Gifford - Emerging Future: Rethinking the World's Growth Engine

Watch Professional Adviser's Working Lunch with Baillie Gifford - Emerging Future: Rethinking the World's Growth Engine

Catch up on the discussion

Professional Adviser
clock 13 October 2026 • 1 min read
Fifty years after 'Bogle's Folly', what comes next for financial advice?

Fifty years after 'Bogle's Folly', what comes next for financial advice?

'Indexing will continue to grow, but the wrapper through which investors access it will change'

Gillian Hepburn
clock 12 October 2026 • 4 min read
Chris Justham: Why the industry must 'entertain and engage' investors

Chris Justham: Why the industry must 'entertain and engage' investors

‘We can’t just offer them a dry cracker and ask them to chew it down’

Chris Justham
clock 07 October 2026 • 3 min read