Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes reportedly sued by sneaker company for copyright infringement
· Yahoo Sports
A sneaker company is suing Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes for copyright infringement, according to a Friday report from ESPN, which cited court records.
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The company, 1587 Sneakers, reportedly alleges in the suit that the name of the Kansas City steakhouse Kelce and Mahomes own, 1587 Prime, infringes its usage of the identical number combination and, as a result, is causing damage.
Along with business partner Noble 33, Kelce and Mahomes opened the restaurant last year. It's name derives from the stars' jersey numbers — Mahomes' No. 15 and Kelce's No. 87 — whereas the sneaker company's name is inspired by the year 1587, per its website, which explains that the year marks the first recorded presence of Asians in America. At that time, Filipino sailors initially arrived in what became the United States, it says.
"We are the first sneaker brand in the U.S. that is owned, designed and inspired by Asian American culture — empowering Asian Americans to be unapologetically themselves," the site reads.
The sneaker company, which appeared on "Shark Tank" and was founded by Adam King and Sam Hyun, started selling its shoes in April 2023, per the suit, ESPN reported.
That's before Kelce and Mahomes announced their plans to open their steakhouse, according to The Kansas City Star.
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben IP, who doesn't represent either company, told ESPN that the suit boils down to the unregistered rights that the sneaker company claimed before it filed its trademark applications in 2025.
More specifically, that application didn't come until October of last year. It's still being reviewed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, per ESPN.
Yet because the sneaker company launched its business before the steakhouse, the suit reportedly alleges the sneaker company has first use of "1587." It's important to note, though, that Kelce and Mahomes' restaurant applied for the trademark "1587 Prime" in December 2023, according to ESPN, which also reported that the "1587 Prime" trademark is in the bar and restaurant category, whereas the sneaker company's "1587" trademark application is in the clothing category.
"I think it's a tough case for the sneaker company," Gerben told ESPN. "Trademarks can coexist in different industries. ... Given that the marks are essentially identical here, is a restaurant and a shoe company too close? Are consumers likely to be confused in thinking they are affiliated with one another?"
The sneaker company is alleging that confusion is in fact happening and is requesting Kelce and Mahomes' restaurant no longer use the name "1587 Prime," in addition to stop selling apparel merchandise with the name on it. The steakhouse notably sells caps and a shirt on its website.
"The company was understandably concerned that such a high-profile project choosing a brand name virtually identical to that of its own would overshadow it and cause irreparable damage," the suit reads, according to The Kansas City Star.
"It did. And continues to do so up to this very present day, forcing the AAPI-company towards the cliff of collapse."
King said in a written statement that the 1587 Sneakers continues "to hope to resolve this matter amicably," per ESPN.
That said, the sneaker company is reportedly seeking unspecified damages.