Pepperdine University has filed a lawsuit against Netflix and Warner Bros. in California federal court over their new comedy series “Running Point.” The show is accused of misappropriating the university’s NCAA basketball team by using its name, colors, and jersey number. According to the lawsuit, the fictional team in the show bears a striking resemblance to Pepperdine’s Division I men’s team, the Waves.
The show features a party girl who inherits her family’s NBA team called the Los Angeles Waves, which shares a similar logo, branding, and colors with the university. The complaint alleges that use of such similar branding will confuse the public into believing “Running Point” is associated with Pepperdine.
Pepperdine is seeking injunctive relief to prevent further use of its trademarks and monetary damages. Netflix and Warner Bros. representatives have not commented on the lawsuit, which has sparked concerns about potential delays in the show’s release or changes to its content.
The comedy series stars Kate Hudson as a party girl who becomes the owner of her family’s NBA team. The lawsuit claims that the show promotes themes not aligned with Pepperdine’s values, including alcohol and substance use, sexual innuendo, and foul language.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2025/02/21/pepperdine-university-sues-netflix-over-new-mindy-kaling-show