The New York Knicks sent a “cease & desist letter” to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for using its logo in a campaign ad. The advertisement, which depicted an amateur basketball game in New York, aired during the team’s home opener on Wednesday night. The Knicks stated they did not endorse Mamdani and objected to his use of their copyrighted logo, vowing to pursue legal action to enforce their rights.
The ad featured an altered New York Knicks orange and blue logo, replacing “Knicks” with “Zohran.” It was widely shared across Mamdani’s campaign social media platforms with the caption “This is our year. This is our time.” The promotion was pulled on Friday after reports of the team’s legal action, which claimed the ad “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.”
The Knicks’ letter demanded removal of all intellectual property from campaign materials. Owner James Dolan has not publicly commented on the mayoral race. The election, set for November 4, features Mamdani, independent Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani is currently the frontrunner in polls.
President Donald Trump recently told allies he believes Mamdani is “unbeatable,” suggesting little chance of success for Cuomo even if Sliwa withdrew from the race. Trump also expressed reluctant support for Cuomo over Mamdani, calling him a “Democrat rather than a communist.”