Feb 20 - Pepperdine University sued Netflix ( NFLX ) and

Warner Bros. Discovery ( WBD ) on Thursday, claiming their

upcoming comedy series about a Los Angeles pro basketball team

called the Waves violates the school's trademarks.

Malibu, California-based Pepperdine, whose mascot is also

the Waves, said in its complaint in Los Angeles federal court

that the series, "Running Point," is likely to cause confusion

among viewers.

Spokespeople for Netflix ( NFLX ) and Warner Bros. Discovery ( WBD ) did not

immediately respond to requests for comment on the complaint.

Pepperdine senior vice president Sean Burnett said in a

statement that the lawsuit was necessary to address the

"flagrant disregard for our intellectual property and the damage

to our institutional identity, together with Netflix's ( NFLX ) and

Warner Bros.' continued refusal to resolve Pepperdine's

concerns."

"Running Point" stars Kate Hudson as a "reformed party girl"

who is "unexpectedly placed in charge of her family's pro

basketball team," according to the Netflix ( NFLX ) website. The series

is set to premiere February 27.

Pepperdine's lawsuit said that the logo and blue-and-orange

branding used for the show's Waves are "strikingly similar" to

the Pepperdine Waves, who have played NCAA basketball in the Los

Angeles area for over 85 years.

Pepperdine also said that the school and show's mascot both

wear the number 37. Pepperdine's 37 represents 1937, the year

the university was founded.

The lawsuit said that as a Christian university, Pepperdine

would also be "irreparably harmed" by being associated with the

show, whose trailer includes cursing and references to sex,

alcohol and illegal drug use.

Pepperdine said that an attorney for Warner Bros. Discovery ( WBD ),

which produced the show, denied the accusations in response to a

cease-and-desist letter. The school asked the court for an order

blocking Netflix ( NFLX ) and Warner Bros. from violating its trademarks

and requested an unspecified amount of monetary damages.

The case is Pepperdine University v. Netflix Inc ( NFLX ), U.S.

District Court for the Central District of California, No.

2:25-cv-01429.

For Pepperdine: Andrei Iancu and Robert Sacks of Sullivan &

Cromwell

For Netflix ( NFLX ) and Warner Bros: attorney information not yet

available

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington)