Pepperdine’s Trademark Claim Against Netflix in “Running Point” Case Goes Under For Good

Pepperdine has used the “Waves” name for its athletic teams since 1937. Netflix’s Running Point also features a fictional basketball team called the Waves. In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin Partners Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler break down Pepperdine’s trademark lawsuit against Netflix, the ruling on Netflix’s motion to dismiss, and what the decision says about the Rogers test after Jack Daniel’s v. VIP Products. They cover: Why Pepperdine challenged Netflix’s use of “Waves” How the court viewed the name in an expressive work What the ruling means for the Rogers test after Jack Daniel’s Tune in for a clear look at where trademark law and entertainment branding collide.