Did the Detroit Lions encroach on a local entertainment company’s trademark, or is the Plymouth-based business throwing a legal Hail Mary?
That’s the subject of a trademark infringement lawsuit filed last week in federal court. According to the complaint, the Lions used a “Motor City Muscle” theme and associated black-and-blue imagery, including the team’s black alternate jersey, infringing on a trademark owned since 2008 by U.S. Events LLC.
U.S. Events is asking the court to order the Lions to stop using the “Motor City Muscle” phrase and associated images and to pay U.S. Events however much money the NFL franchise has received from their use.
According to the complaint, since 2005, U.S. Events has produced an annual event under its Motor City Muscle banner, celebrating the city’s historic connections to muscle cars and rock music. The company also owns the rights to the Motor City Muscle trade dress, which includes a black-and-blue logo that pays homage to 1950s-era car and rock culture, used to promote the event.
In 2018, the event was held in downtown Detroit, with the black-and-blue imagery featured throughout Campus Martius, the Spirit of Detroit Plaza and Hart Plaza, the company alleges.
Then, in 2024, the Lions unveiled their new black-and-blue alternate jerseys, which have been promoted under an identical “Motor City Muscle” name.
“Not only did the Lions use the exact same color scheme and striping as the Motor City Muscle trade dress for their jerseys, but they directly copied (U.S. Events’) Trademark and hosted a live event featuring rock music and muscle cars to announce these jerseys,” the complaint states.
U.S. Events said media outlets and business partners have since approached the company, asking whether the Lions now owned their brand. The company has sent the franchise three cease-and-desist letters that have been ignored, according to the complaint.
The team’s use of “Motor City Muscle” branding and “passing off the Motor City Muscle theme and event type atmosphere as its’ own marketing creativity causing a likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding” erodes the public’s identification of the phrase with U.S. Events and its annual music event, while “the Lions have also very clearly profited” from its use, the complaint states.
The Lions have worn their black alternate jerseys for five games since unveiling them last year. The team announced earlier this month that it will wear them again for their Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Vikings.
A Lions spokesperson did not respond to an email from The Detroit News seeking comment. Online court records show the team has been sent a summons and has 21 days after receiving it to formally respond to the complaint.
The eight-count complaint was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Detroit. In addition to asking for a jury trial, it is seeking damages including the Lions’ profits from the “Motor City Muscle” brand, the company is seeking court costs and attorney fees.
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