Opinion ID: 6928544
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Likelihood of Expansion

Text: A strong likelihood that either party may expand his business to compete with the other favors a finding of infringement. Sleekcraft, 599 F.2d at 354. The court found no likelihood of expansion. OAG distributes only one percent of its North American Edition in Europe. Ashby-web is not currently publishing its directory. Ashbyweb has no plans to market its directory in the United States when it resumes publishing its guide. OAG contends that the district court’s finding of no likelihood of expansion is clearly erroneous. OAG points to its London office which promotes OAG products, and to its introduction of various international editions of its guide as evidence that there is a strong likelihood of expansion in Europe. OAG misses the point. The question is whether the parties are likely to compete with a similar product in the same market. See Pacific Telesis v. International Telesis, 994 F.2d 1364, 1369; Gallo, 967 F.2d at 1293. That is, whether: 1) OAG is likely to market its North American edition to USA-bound European travelers, or 2) Ashbyweb is likely to market its guide to American domestic travelers. The district court’s finding that OAG failed to prove the strong likelihood of either scenario is not clearly erroneous.