Even LeBron James has a limit to how far you can take his name.
The former Los Angeles Lakers superstar is threatening legal action against the company behind the sports betting research app Bron AI. He’s accusing the app of using his name, nickname and likeness without permission and falsely hinting he endorses the platform.
In a three-page cease-and-desist letter dated Thursday, Nov. 5, James’ attorney demanded that PlayVision Inc. immediately stop using the NBA star’s identity, including the nickname “Bron,” in its branding, advertising and promotional materials.
The letter was addressed to PlayVision representatives Anish Gupta and Marc Zoghby, and accuses the company of creating the impression that James is associated with or endorses its sports analytics and betting research app.
James’ legal team also had issues with promo material allegedly suggesting the NBA star was betting on basketball games, which is conduct that would violate league rules. The attorneys argued that the alleged misuse was serious because James also has an exclusive endorsement agreement with prediction-market platform Polymarket.
The letter gave PlayVision until 5:30 p.m. Thursday to remove all references to James, including the use of “Bron” in company names and marketing.
In a bold move, James’ attorneys also instructed the company to notify everyone who had placed a bet through its platforms that the NBA star had no affiliation with the business. They even demanded information about the total amounts wagered and the revenue the company generated. The letter alleges violations of James’ publicity, privacy, trademark and other intellectual property rights, along with potential false advertising and deceptive trade practices.
Attorneys warned that James was considering taking further legal action, including an injunction and monetary damages, if the company failed to cooperate with his request.
It was not immediately clear whether the company had responded to the demands or removed the disputed branding.
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