The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea filed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) seeking an interim injunction against a controversial Uber Moto advertisement featuring Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter Travis Head. The ad, which aired ahead of the highly anticipated IPL 2025 clash between RCB and SRH on May 13, humorously depicted Head vandalising a ‘Bengaluru vs Hyderabad’ sign and altering it to read “Royally Challenged” — a play on RCB’s name.
RCB argued that the ad, titled “Ride like a Hyderabaddie ft. Travis Head”, mocked their franchise and infringed upon their registered trademark. The legal team, led by advocate Shwetasree Majumder, claimed Uber used RCB’s branding without consent, resulting in reputational harm. The ad had garnered over 1.3 million views by the time of filing.
However, Justice Saurabh Banerjee dismissed RCB’s request for interim relief. In his ruling, he stated:
“The impugned advertisement is in the context of a game — cricket — a game of sportsmanship which, in the opinion of this Court, does not call for any interference of any sort at this stage.”
Uber’s legal representatives defended the campaign by asserting that it used IPL’s rivalry narrative to promote their services and highlight Bengaluru’s infamous traffic congestion. They maintained that the ad was a form of creative expression rooted in humor and competition, not an intentional defamation of RCB.
With the court refusing to order the ad’s removal, the brand war continues off the field even as the battle intensifies on it.
RCB, led by Rajat Patidar, currently top the IPL 2025 points table with eight wins. A victory in their upcoming home game against SRH at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium would secure their place in the playoffs. On the other hand, SRH, reeling on the edge of elimination, will be desperate to clinch their fourth win and keep playoff hopes alive.
