Heads up, New Yorkers—the Knicks are slamming the brakes on a mayoral hopeful’s campaign flair with a sharp legal warning that’s got everyone talking.
On October 24, 2025, the New York Knicks issued a cease-and-desist notice to candidate Zohran Mamdani for mimicking their iconic logo in a political ad, making it crystal clear they’re not backing his bid for mayor and are ready to fight for their brand, as Fox News reports.
Let’s rewind a bit—earlier in 2022, Knicks owner James Dolan showed his political colors by contributing nearly $70,000 to the campaign of current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a reminder that the team’s leadership isn’t shy about wading into state politics.
Fast forward to October 22, 2025, when the Knicks kicked off their season with a strong victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Manhattan, fueling optimism that they’re the favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
But the real buzzer-beater came on October 24, 2025, when Fox News Digital confirmed the Knicks had sent a stern legal notice to Mamdani after he used a strikingly similar version of their logo to promote his mayoral campaign.
Mamdani had shared the design on Instagram, geotagging Madison Square Garden, though he later took down the post, perhaps sensing the inbound foul from the team’s legal squad.
“The NY Knicks have sent NYC Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a cease-and-desist letter for using the NY Knicks logo to promote his candidacy. The Knicks want to make it clear that we do not endorse Mr. Mamdani for Mayor, and we object to his use of our copyrighted logo,” the team stated officially.
“We will pursue all legal remedies to enforce our rights,” the Knicks added, and frankly, conservatives might nod in approval—private entities like the Knicks have every right to guard their brand from being hijacked by political campaigns, especially when it risks implying an endorsement that doesn’t exist.
Despite outreach for a response, Mamdani stayed silent on the matter, leaving observers to wonder if he’ll pivot his campaign imagery or double down in the face of legal pressure.
Meanwhile, on October 23, 2025, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams threw his support behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, adding another layer of intrigue to the mayoral contest set for November 4, 2025.
The race, featuring Mamdani, Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa, currently sees Mamdani as the frontrunner, though this logo debacle might toss a curveball into his momentum among voters who value clear boundaries between sports and politics.
For conservatives, this incident raises a broader point about the progressive tendency to blur lines—using a beloved team’s identity for political gain feels like a cheap shot, especially when the Knicks have explicitly said they’re not in Mamdani’s corner.
As the Knicks aim for glory on the court this season, their off-court battle over brand integrity serves as a reminder that even sports franchises aren’t immune to the messy world of political campaigns.
With the mayoral election looming, this clash could spark a wider debate about the ethics of leveraging cultural icons for votes, a tactic that often backfires when the icon pushes back.
Ultimately, while the Knicks chase a championship not seen since 1999, they’re also defending their name—perhaps a lesson for candidates that some logos are better left on the court than on campaign flyers.
