Explained: Why RCB sued Uber over advertisement featuring SRH big-hitter Travis Head

Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are not happy with Uber, the popular cab booking platform. They have filed a case in the Delhi High Court against Uber because of an advertisement featuring cricketer Travis Head, who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and used to play for RCB in 2016-2017.

The Hyderabaddie is on a wicked mission. First stop, Bengaluru!😈

Catch him before he escapes on Uber Moto. Or book your own, and get a ride in just 3 minutes! 🏍️#UberMoto #TravisHead #Hyderabad #RideWithUber #Cricket #3Minutes pic.twitter.com/3dtbkyTvXO

— Uber India (@Uber_India) April 5, 2025

Why did RCB drag Uber to court over a Travis Head ad?

RCB have said that Uber used their famous slogan ‘Ee Sala Cup Namde’ (This year, the cup is ours) without permission in the ad called ‘Baddies in Bengaluru.’ In this ad, Travis Head, nicknamed ‘Hyderabaddie,’ is shown sneaking into a stadium with another person and spray-painting ‘Royally Challenged Bengaluru vs Hyderabad’ instead of just ‘Bengaluru vs Hyderabad.’

The RCB team is upset because they feel Uber is making fun of their name and slogan. They told the court that Uber was disrespecting their trademark and trying to damage their brand image. Uber’s video has become very popular online, with over 1.3 million views on YouTube alone.

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What are their arguments?

Uber, however, thinks the lawsuit is silly. Their lawyers argued it’s just a humorous ad that makes fun of Bengaluru’s traffic and shows Uber Moto as a faster option. Uber claimed they didn’t directly use RCB’s trademark, but simply made a joke to show how SRH could ‘royally challenge’ RCB in their upcoming match on 13 May.

“RCB has severely underestimated the Indian public’s sense of humour,” Uber’s lawyer said, calling the lawsuit “preposterous.” Uber further added that this kind of ad is just harmless creativity.

But RCB lawyers disagreed, saying the issue is not humour, but that Uber can’t use someone else’s brand for their own gain without permission. They argued that Uber used a slightly changed version of RCB’s trademark, which, according to the lawyer, isn’t allowed legally, especially because Uber was promoting its own service while doing so.

What did the court say?

The court has heard both sides but hasn’t given a final decision yet. It will be interesting to see if Travis Head and Uber will face any consequences because of the ad or if RCB will just have to accept the joke and move on.