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Steve Dimopoulos, a personal injury lawyer in Las Vegas, has filed a federal lawsuit against the NFL and the Las Vegas Raiders after they allegedly threatened "heightened legal penalties" due to his Super Bowl LVII ad.
Dimopoulos aired a commercial in the Las Vegas media market and on YouTube promoting his law firm, Dimopoulos Injury Law, which featured Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, Vegas Golden Knights forward Williams Karlsson and UFC fighter Jon Jones.
The ad showed each athlete training and Dimopoulos prepping to go to court.
The NFL and Raiders sent a joint cease-and-desist letter to Dimopoulos Feb. 22, demanding he stop airing the commercial or he will face legal penalties for trademark infringement. They gave him a deadline of March 1 to respond, and he did so with his federal lawsuit.
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Maxx Crosby (98) of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts during a game against the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium Dec. 18, 2022, in Las Vegas. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Dimopoulos told Fox News Digital there's no trademark infringement in his commercial.
"I’ve been using the silver and black colors before the Raiders announced they were moving to town years ago," Dimopolous said, referring to Crosby putting on a black and silver jersey and helmet during the commercial. Dimopolous says he’s been using those colors since 2012.
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"[The Raiders] come to town, and they have the same color scheme. And they’re taking this position that I can’t use my own colors in this Super Bowl ad I just ran because it’s trademark infringement," the lawyer said.
"We were very careful not to use any Raiders logos. The only logos that appear in the commercial are my law firm’s logos. Some people say that kinda resembles the Raiders’ mark. It really doesn’t. To the extent that it does, it’s the same analysis: I was using that same logo here in Vegas long before they came here."
The Las Vegas Raiders logo at the Super Bowl Experience Feb. 8, 2022, at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles. (Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Dimopoulos’ reasoning behind the lawsuit isn’t to just defend his Super Bowl ad.
"I knew enough that this is kinda ridiculous, and I did a little bit of research and I quickly realized that the NFL has a reputation for kinda being abusive and overreaching on their intellectual property rights," he explained. "Suing small businesses, attacking people in small business that don’t have the knowledge or the resources to defend themselves. That was kinda part of my motive. I just want to stand up for these people."
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A Las Vegas Raiders helmet during a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium Aug. 20, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
"The NFL has been a trademark bully for too long," Dimopoulous’ lawyer, Marc Randazza, said in a statement. "Everybody just caves in when they threaten them. … All Dimopoulos is seeking in this case is to be left alone. The NFL does not own the colors silver and black, and my client has a right to continue using his color scheme."
As for Crosby’s involvement in the commercial, Dimopolous said the two-time Pro Bowler "signed off on the fact that this arrangement did not conflict with, or violate, any third-party agreements."
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The NFL and the Raiders did not immediately answer a request for comment.
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