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Knicks Send Cease-and-Desist to Zohran Mamdani Over Logo Use
The New York Knicks have formally warned mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani to remove their logo from his campaign advertisement, asserting he is unauthorised to use their branding and emphasising the team does not endorse his bid for mayor.
1. The Logo Use & Legal Notice
The Knicks issued a cease-and-desist letter to Mamdani’s campaign after it aired an ad featuring a modified version of the team’s iconic orange and blue logo — with “Knicks” replaced by “Zohran”. The letter states the ad is “likely to mislead the public into believing that the Campaign is affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by, or in some way connected with the Knicks.” Team officials publicly clarified:
“We do not endorse Mr Mamdani for Mayor … we object to his use of our copyrighted logo. We will pursue all legal remedies to enforce our rights.”
2. Timing and Campaign Implications
The altered logo ad aired during the Knicks’ season opener, coinciding with heightened attention on the NYC mayoral race. Mamdani captioned the graphic on social media: “This is our year. This is our time.” The move signals a heated interplay between sports branding, political campaigns and legal intellectual-property safeguards.
3. Why the Team Reacted
Professional sports teams tightly guard their trademarks and logos to avoid implied endorsements, maintain brand integrity and prevent confusion among fans and the public. The Knicks’ swift action underscores how an unauthorised use by a political campaign can trigger legal enforcement. The notice also raises broader questions about how campaign messaging intersects with copyrighted branding, and what boundaries exist between political communication and trademark law.
4. What to Watch Next
Will Mamdani’s campaign comply by removing the logo and ad, or will the matter escalate into litigation?
Could other campaigns attempt similar uses of sports branding, prompting legal or regulatory pushback?
How will this affect the candidate’s public perception and the broader conversation around campaign tactics and intellectual-property law?
Call to Action: Monitor the legal and campaign developments. Consider how the use of branding, symbols and logos intersects with politics, law and public perception.
