NCAA Sues DraftKings Over Alleged Trademark Infringement

The NCAA has filed a lawsuit against DraftKings, alleging that the company has illegally used its trademarks without authorization. The lawsuit was filed in Indianapolis, with the NCAA seeking a temporary restraining order to block DraftKings from using trademarked terms. The organization owns the rights to several terms related to the men’s and women’s basketball tournament, including “March Madness” and “Final Four.”

DraftKings has denied the allegations, stating that it uses the terms for informational purposes and that this is protected speech under the First Amendment. “DraftKings does not use the term ‘March Madness’ as a trademark but rather uses it in plain text and as a fair use in the same manner that other tournaments are displayed,” a spokesperson told ESPN.

The NCAA argues that the unauthorized use of its trademarks can cause confusion with member universities and athletes, giving the appearance that the NCAA is involved with sports betting. The organization has stated that it does not have any commercial relationships with any sportsbooks and continues to uphold a strict prohibition on advertising and sponsorships associated with betting.