Team Wants Focus on Winning Basketball Games, Not Endorsing Political Candidates
10/27/25 – – The New York Knicks tipped off their National Basketball Association season last week with a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers and a legal warning to New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
In a public statement, the team explained its action against the controversial socialist favored in election polls to be the Big Apple’s next mayor:
“The NY Knicks have sent NYC Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a cease-and-desist letter for using the NY Knicks logo to promote his candidacy. The Knicks want to make it clear that we do not endorse Mr. Mamdani for Mayor, and we object to his use of our copyrighted logo. We will pursue all legal remedies to enforce our rights.”
Here’s a comparison of the two marks:
The Mamdani campaign has not issued a statement regarding the foul called by the Knicks. But the ads have been pulled down from TV and online platforms.
In a blog post earlier this month, I reported that the Campbell’s soup company had served up a lawsuit against a candidate for Congress from Michigan’s 5th District named Shelby Campbell. She’s using the Campbell’s logo and label designs without permission on her “Soup 4 Change” campaign materials, dismissing the company’s claim that people could be confused into thinking Campbell’s is endorsing her.
Protecting Billion-Dollar Brands
Why are a professional basketball team and a food products company so touchy about their logos?
Trademark infringement, especially at a time when artificial intelligence tools are making it easier to rip off images and identities, is a very serious matter. Billions of dollars are invested in establishing carefully crafted brands. Protecting those assets from unauthorized use, ridicule and consumer confusion in today’s interconnected digital world is a 24/7 challenge.
And there’s added reputational risk in both the Knicks and Campbell’s cases. Recognizing the increasingly toxic political environment, corporations, sports teams and organizations are reluctant to jump into politics. Appearing to endorse a socialist for mayor (Mamdani) in the world’s center of capitalism or a Democrat (Campbell) in a solidly Republican district in Michigan creates even more vulnerability.
It’s highly unlikely that either trademark infringement case will get as far as a legal decision. But the diligence of the Knicks and Campbell’s sends a clear message to would-be infringers: Step out of bounds with established identities and reputations and you’ll find yourself in some very hot soup.
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