Knicks Order Zohran Mamdani Campaign Over Campaign Ad
The New York Knicks have issued a cease-and-desist letter to mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani over a campaign advertisement that used a modified version of the team’s iconic logo, stressing that the franchise does not endorse the socialist Democratic nominee.
The campaign had run the spot during the Knicks’ regular-season opener Wednesday night and pushed it heavily across social media. The ad reproduced the trademark orange-and-blue Knicks logo but swapped the word “Knicks” with “Zohran,” paired with the caption: “This is our year. This is our time.”
In the legal letter, obtained by The Post, the Knicks argued the campaign’s use of the imagery was “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.”
A Knicks spokesperson confirmed the team’s position in a statement:
“The Knicks want to make it clear that we do not endorse Mr. Mamdani for Mayor, and we object to his use of our copyrighted logo. We will pursue all legal remedies to enforce our rights.”
By Friday, the campaign had removed the ad and scrubbed Knicks-themed graphics from its online platforms. Calls to Mamdani’s campaign for comment were not returned as of publication.
Political context
Knicks owner James Dolan has not issued a public statement about the mayoral contest. He has, however, signaled political involvement elsewhere: recently revealing that he was backing independent candidate Diana Florence’s bid for Manhattan district attorney in opposition to incumbent prosecutor Alvin Bragg.
The Knicks’ letter demanded that the Mamdani campaign remove all instances of team intellectual property from campaign and promotional materials. The team did not state whether additional action will follow if the campaign complies.
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