IPL 2025: RCB Approaches Delhi High Court Against Uber Over Alleged Trademark Disparagement

On Thursday, April 17, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) filed a complaint in the Delhi High Court, claiming that a YouTube ad denigrated their trademark. After hearing the parties' arguments about RCB's temporary request for an injunction, the court chose to postpone making a decision. Uber India Systems Pvt. Ltd. was sued by Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited, which claimed that Uber Moto's YouTube ad "Baddies in Bengaluru ft. Travis Head" defamed its trademark.

The primary character in the film, the cricketer Head of Sunrisers Hyderabad, denigrates the team's trademark, according to RCB. According to RCB counsel, who described the video advertisement, the cricket player was seen sprinting towards the Bengaluru cricket stadium with the intention of damaging the "Bengaluru vs. Hyderabad" signage. He used spray paint to write "Royally Challenged" before Bengaluru changed it to "Royally Challenged Bengaluru," which denigrates RCB's mark.

RCB Alleges Trademark Infringement:

#BREAKING

RCB takes Uber India to court over ad campaign

RCB sues Uber India in Delhi HC for unauthorised use of franchise name in "Baddies in Bengaluru" ad

Ad shows SRH's Travis Head spray-painting "Royally Challenged Bengaluru vs Hyderabad" before escaping in an Uber Moto… pic.twitter.com/dvLGQq4SxA

— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) April 17, 2025

Making a disparaging remark, according to the attorney, was considered disparagement. He added that Uber Moto, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)'s commercial sponsor, exploited RCB's trademark—more precisely, a "deceptive variant" of it—to advertise its ride-booking service.

RCB had "severely discounted" the public's sense of humour, according to Uber's attorney. He clarified that the advertisement's main takeaway was that the public was encouraged to utilise Uber Moto because of the notorious traffic in the city, and that a match between RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad was set for May 13 at the Bengaluru cricket stadium. Humour, playfulness, and lighthearted banter are crucial components of advertising, according to Uber's lawyer, who cautioned that adopting the level suggested by RCB would essentially "kill" these creative aspects.

With four victories from their first six games in the IPL 2025, RCB is off to a great start. On Friday, April 18, they will play the Punjab Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Rajat Patidar and company will climb to the top of the points table if they can win the game by a significant margin. At No. 9 in the rankings, SRH is having trouble. After seven games, they have just two victories and five losses. On Wednesday, April 23, the Sunrisers will play again when they take on the Mumbai Indians at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

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