MillerCoors LLC, the U.S. venture between SABMiller Plc and Molson Coors Brewing Co., sued a maker of equipment for the barroom game Beer Pong, claiming infringement of the brewer’s Lite Beer trademarks.

A drinking game, beer pong requires players to toss pingpong balls across a table with the object of landing a ball in the opposing team’s cups of beer.

MillerCoors, in its lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago yesterday, alleges that Bridgeport, Connecticut-based PB&J Design Inc. is selling tables, kegs full of beer pong balls, pitchers and cups featuring a logo similar to the brewer’s Lite beer marks.

Denver-based MillerCoors has accused PB&J Design of trademark infringement and unfair competition. It is seeking a court order barring the use of the logos it says are similar to its trademarked emblems together with an award of unspecified money damages.

“The target customers for MillerCoors and the defendant are the same,” the brewer said in its complaint. “Defendant’s use of marks strikingly similar to the MillerCoors marks is likely to cause confusion, mistake, or deception in the marketplace.”

The game implements are available for purchase on the Web site www.getbombed.com.

PB&J representatives didn’t immediately reply to voicemail messages seeking comment on the suit.

The case is MillerCoors LLC v. PB&J Design Inc., 10cv1034, in the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago)

More BOMBED products with the Miller Lite (like) logo…

[Source: BusinessWeek.com]