Music publishers Kobalt, Prescription Songs, and others are seeking to consolidate 13 copyright infringement lawsuits against NBA teams into a single case, with the Cleveland Cavaliers action serving as the lead case.

The lawsuits, filed in summer 2023, allege that various NBA teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers, infringed on protected musical works in videos posted to TikTok, Instagram, and NBA.com. The NBA league itself is not named as a defendant.

Key points about the consolidation:

• 13 cases remain active after the Atlanta Hawks reached a settlement agreement
• Defendants agree to consolidation for pre-trial proceedings only
• Publishers have requested a court conference to discuss the consolidation

These cases are part of a broader trend of copyright infringement suits against brands using music in social media promotions without proper licensing. Social platforms typically only clear music rights for personal, not professional, use.

Related developments:

• Beastie Boys' infringement case against Chili's parent company continues, with the defendant's answer due February 3rd
• Universal Music filed a similar complaint against Chili's owner, with a response due January 27th
• Associated Production Music recently settled litigation with several American Hockey League teams

The publishers are currently awaiting court direction on their consolidation request as these various copyright disputes continue to unfold.

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