Pepperdine University filed a lawsuit against Netflix and Warner Bros. Entertainment on the grounds of trademark infringement. It claims that Mindy Kaling, through her new show, “misappropriated” the university by stealing its mascot for her new show ‘Running Point.’
That is not the exact legal jargon but that is essentially what is happening here if I am reading the lawsuit and corresponding assets correctly.
Before we go any further here, it should be noted that Kaling is not named as a defendant on the lawsuit. She is just the creator of ‘Running Point.’ Only Netflix and Warner Bros. are listed.
The series is set to debut next week on Thursday, Feb. 27. Kate Hudson stars as a reformed party girl who must prove herself as a successful business woman when she is suddenly and unexpected put in charge of her family’s professional basketball organization. Here is the official trailer:
Pepperdine is located in Malibu and uses the color scheme of orange and blue. Its nickname is the Waves and its mascot is an anthropomorphic Wave that wears the No. 37. The No. 37 represents the year the university came to exist, 1937.
The pro basketball team that Hudson’s character in ‘Running Point’ inherits is based in Los Angeles, not far from Malibu. Its nickname is the Waves and its color scheme is also orange and blue.
Therein lies the lawsuit. The series could (not-so) indirectly tie the fictional pro basketball team to Pepperdine.
Running Point features a purportedly fictional Los Angeles-based basketball team called the “Waves” that bears a striking resemblance in branding to Pepperdine’s longstanding and well-known Waves athletics program. The series prominently features a team name, colors, and other indicia that are identical or highly similar to Pepperdine’s, as well as the number “37,” which is closely associated with the university’s history and mascot.
— Pepperdine University
It focuses on the alleged desecration of the university’s religious affiliation.
Running Point’s portrayal of the “Waves” team will cause consumer confusion and falsely suggest an affiliation between Pepperdine and the show. The university has also expressed deep concerns about some of the series’ themes, which include explicit content, substance use, nudity, and profanity—elements that are inconsistent with Pepperdine’s Christian values and reputation.
— Pepperdine University
Pepperdine asserts in the filing that officials associated with the university previously reached out to Netflix and Warner Bros. Entertainment with multiple requests to cease-and-desist. It never received a response so the school is now asking for “injunctive relief to prevent further use of Pepperdine’s trademarks” as well as an unspecified amount of monetary retribution.
You can read the full complaint HERE!