NCAA accuses DraftKings of "March Madness" trademark infringement

U.S. NCAA accuses DraftKings of "March Madness" trademark infringement, asks court for restraining order March 21, 2026 / 11:24 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google The NCAA accused online sportsbook DraftKings of trademark infringement associated with the association's men's and women's basketball tournaments and filed a complaint in federal court seeking an emergency restraining order. In the complaint filed in the Southern District of Indiana, the NCAA requests that DraftKings stop using registered trademarks including "March Madness," "Final Four," "Elite Eight" and "Sweet Sixteen" or variations of them in sports betting products, promotional campaigns or marketing. The NCAA claims its trademarks are used to identify, brand, advertise and distinguish the tournaments across broadcast media, digital platforms, merchandise, sponsorships and licensed commercial activities. "On the eve of the Tournaments, DraftKings deliberately adopted and prominently began using the NCAA's iconic NCAA Basketball Marks, including confusingly similar variations thereof, to trade on — and usurp — the immense goodwill, recognition, and consumer trust embodied in those Marks at the precise moment of peak public attention," the complaint said. Screenshots of DraftKings wagering platforms were included in exhibits attached to the complaint. "DraftKings's unlawful use quickly proliferated across its consumer-facing websites and mobile applications, embedding the marks and logos into betting menus, promotional graphics, and marketing publications, to deliberately exacerbate consumer confusion and reinforce a false association with or sponsorship by the NCAA in order to continuously capitalize on the goodwill of the NCAA," the complaint said. In a statement to CBS News on Saturday, DraftKings said that it is not engaging in trademark infringement. "DraftKings does not use the term March Madness as a trademark, but rather uses it in plain text and as a fair use in the same manner that other...