Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have taken legal action against Uber Moto in the Delhi High Court alleging that the ride-hailing platform’s recent advertisement featuring SRH and Australian national cricket team player Travis Head insults their brand and misuses their trademark.

rcb-vs-uber-moto-ipl-2025

The controversial 59-second ad titled “Baddies in Bengaluru ft. Travis Head Uber Moto | Uber,” shows the Sunrisers Hyderabad batter entering a stadium resembling RCB’s home ground spray-painting over a sign that reads "Bengaluru vs Hyderabad" and changing it to “Royally Challenged Bengaluru” a pun on RCB’s name.

RCB represented by Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited, filed a suit accusing Uber India of both disparaging its trademark and infringing copyright by using their iconic slogan “Ee saala cup naamde”—a fan-favorite phrase deeply associated with the franchise.

RCB’s legal representative Shwetasree Majumder argued before Justice Saurabh Banerjee that the ad “targeted and diluted” the identity of RCB. She remarked:

“You had millions of creative ways to do advertisements. Did you have to do it using my trademark? And using someone who was earlier with me?”

Notably Travis Head was once part of the RCB squad which RCB alleges adds to the insult.

In response Uber’s counsel countered that RCB had “severely discounted the public’s sense of humour.” The legal team clarified that the ad’s purpose was to inform viewers about the upcoming RCB vs SRH match on May 13 and promote the convenience of Uber Moto amid Bengaluru’s traffic.

According to Uber, the tone was intended to be humorous and light-hearted not malicious or harmful.

After hearing both parties the Delhi High Court has reserved its decision on the interim injunction requested by RCB to pull the ad from platforms like YouTube. Meanwhile the ad continues to gain traction online with over 1.4 million views on YouTube.