26-cv-13158 | NBA Files Again: Team Merchandise Sellers Should Check

Case overview

• Plaintiff: NBA Properties, Inc. (the NBA’s trademark licensing company)
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
• Filed: October 26, 2026
• Status: Filed. The plaintiff also filed a ‘Leave to File’ procedural document the same day, which in Schedule A cases is typically used to seek leave to file the defendant list and other materials under seal.

This is NBA Properties’ 4th case in the Northern District of Illinois since October 16, after 26-cv-12728, 26-cv-12974, and 26-cv-13029.

The complaint and Schedule A defendant list are not yet public; the rights and products at issue will be updated.

What may happen next

Schedule A plaintiffs usually move for a TRO within days of filing. Once granted, marketplaces freeze defendants’ funds.

Seller checklist

• Check for jerseys, caps, posters, stickers, and phone cases bearing the NBA logo, team names, or team logos
• Check whether titles or keywords use team or player names to attract traffic
• Around the start of the season, team merchandise sales and enforcement both rise; review listings now

Already frozen?

Keep the platform notice, emails from plaintiff’s counsel, affected listings, and sales records. Hold off on replying to the plaintiff or signing anything, and have counsel review the case. See: Store Frozen by a TRO: The First 72 Hours.

Sources

• CourtListener public docket: 26-cv-13158