UPDATED with outcome:After Netflix filed an opposition on Tuesday in Central Californias U.S. District Court, claiming that Running Pointhas nothing to do with universities or college sports, a judge has deniedPepperdine Universitys motion for a temporary restraining order on Wednesday.
The streamer previously responded to Pepperdinestrademark infringementlawsuitover the logo for the shows team, The Waves, explaining that the fictional Los Angeles-based basketball teams name is a nod to the real-life Lakers and evokes the LA area where the team plays.
Related Stories
Netflix Adding Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’, ‘Rear Window’, ‘Vertigo’ & More, Sets Screening Series In NYC
Canadian Comedy ‘North Of North’ Renewed For Season 2 At Netflix
It would make no creative or narrative sense for the shows creators to draw connections to Pepperdine, whose storyline is very much not about an elite, private college in Malibu, said Netflixs legal team in the response.
Three players for Pepperdine University’s The Waves basketball team sport the logo. (Courtesy Pepperdine University)
Watch on Deadline
PREVIOUSLY, Feb. 21:Ahead of itsNetflixpremiere on Feb. 27,Mindy Kalings new sports comedy seriesRunning Pointis already making waves.
On Thursday, Pepperdine University announced a trademark infringement lawsuit against Netflix andWarner Bros., accusing the show of misappropriation of the universitys brand with the logo for its fictional Los Angeles-based basketball team The Waves.
According to astatementshared by the Malibu-based Christian university, the team logo in the show bears a striking resemblance in branding to Pepperdines 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 Pepperdines, as well as the number 37, which is closely associated with the universitys history and mascot.
The school also has deep concerns about some of the series themes, which include explicit content, substance use, nudity, and profanityelements that are inconsistent with Pepperdines Christian values and reputation.
Pepperdine claims the school has made multiple attempts to patch up the issue amicably with Netflix and Warner Bros., but both have refused to take any remediating action.
Created by Kaling, Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen,Running Pointstars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, who is appointed president of her familys professional basketball franchise, the Los Angeles Waves, after a scandal forces her brother to resign.
Ambitious and often overlooked, Isla will have to prove to her skeptical brothers, the board, and the larger sports community that she was the right choice for the job.
