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Trademark Ruling on Netflix Running Point Series Holds Off ‘Death Knell’ of Rogers Tradition

By Michelle Morgante
March 01, 2025

A federal judge in California declined to stop the debut of the new Netflix series Running Point that Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, claims infringes on its trademarks by using the mascot name, the “Waves,” and colors of the private Christian college. Pepperdine University v. Netflix Inc., 2:25-cv-01429.

The decision from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California came a day before the scheduled debut of the show, which stars Kate Hudson as the head of a fictional professional basketball team, the “Los Angeles Waves.” The school had sought a temporary restraining order to stop Netflix from showing any images that infringed on the school’s trademarks.

The parties went before District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela to consider Pepperdine’s request for a temporary restraining order. In her ruling, Judge Valenzuela said the considerations set in Rogers v. Grimaldi, 875 F.2d 994 (2d Cir. 1989), supported the defendants’ claims that the show was not using the “Waves” marks as source identifying marks.

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