Pepperdine University sues Netflix over Mindy Kalingâs new comedy series

Mindy Kaling poses for a portrait to promote âRunning Pointâ on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rebecca Cabage/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES â Pepperdine University has filed a lawsuit against Netflix and Warner Bros. for trademark infringement, alleging in federal court that Mindy Kalingâs new comedy series âRunning Pointâ intentionally centers on a fictional basketball team that strongly resembles the universityâs actual squad, according to court papers obtained Friday.
In the suit, filed Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, Pepperdine dubs âRunning Pointâ a âraunchyâ comedy that promotes themes that donât correspond to the universityâs values, including alcohol and substance use, sexual innuendo and imagery and foul language.
âRunning Point,â starring Kate Hudson, is supposedly loosely based on the real life of Lakers owner Jeanie Buss. It debuts Feb. 27 on Netflix.
Pepperdine alleges that Netflix and Warner Bros. âmisappropriatedâ registered trademarks belonging to the Malibu university, whose NCAA basketball team is named the Waves â the same name as the team in Kalingâs series.
The university also argues that the show borrows its teamâs colors, orange and blue, and uses playerâs number 37, the number worn by Pepperdineâs mascot and that is associated with the year the university was founded, 1937.
Representatives for Netflix and Warner Bros. could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.
The complaint seeks injunctive relief to prevent further use of Pepperdineâs trademarks, as well as damages for the alleged infringement and harm caused by the misappropriation of the universityâs brand.
âSince its founding in 1937, Pepperdine University has established itself as a Christian University committed to academic excellence and a world-class athletics program,â Sean Burnett, Pepperdine University senior vice president and chief marketing officer, said in a statement.
He said the university believes it necessary to seek court intervention due to the âflagrant disregard for our intellectual property and the damage to our institutional identity, together with Netflixâs and Warner Bros.â continued refusal to resolve Pepperdineâs concerns.â
According to the complaint, âRunning Pointâsâ portrayal of the âWavesâ team will cause consumer confusion and falsely suggest an affiliation between Pepperdine and the show.
Burnett said the university has also expressed concern about some of the seriesâ themes, which include explicit content, substance use, nudity, and profanity â elements that are âinconsistent with Pepperdineâs Christian values and reputation.â (CNS)