LeBron's representatives demand removal of AI betting advertisement
LeBron James's representatives sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bron AI over an advertisement that used a character resembling the basketball star, Front Office Sports reported. The character wore a jersey with his nickname and number, and spoke in a voice resembling his. The company's CEO posted the video on X, where it drew more than 900,000 views in less than 24 hours. James's lawyers said the apparent association conflicted with his exclusive Polymarket endorsement and implied he bet on basketball. The company removed the X advertisement about three hours after FOS published its report.
THE BREAKDOWN
Ask counsel to define synthetic voice and look-alike restrictions alongside name and image rights in endorsement agreements. Require the advertiser to obtain written approval before an agency or production vendor generates any digital replica. For athletes with betting sponsors, review each creative concept for implied participation in wagering, rather than checking the sponsor category alone. Keep a named escalation contact at the brand and the platform so representatives can request removal without waiting for a routine campaign review. Preserve the original post and its reach before a takedown removes evidence of the disputed use.
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