The NCAA wants its trademark lawsuit against DraftKings moved onto a faster court schedule so the case can be heard before the next March Madness tournament cycle. The association filed the request in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana after failing to win immediate emergency relief in March.
The case centers on DraftKings’ use of NCAA tournament marks, including March Madness, Final Four, Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen, across its sportsbook products and promotions. The NCAA argues that the use creates a false link between the association and a gambling operator, while DraftKings says it is using the terms to identify events that customers can legally bet on.
NCAA wants a trial before next tournament season
The court initially set a pretrial hearing for June 1. The NCAA later asked for an accelerated timeline that could put the case on track for a trial in February 2027, before the next men’s and women’s Division I basketball tournaments.
The association said the annual tournament calendar is central to the dispute. Its position is that DraftKings can continue planning promotions around March Madness and related marks if the case moves through a normal litigation schedule.
The NCAA is seeking a faster path after Judge Tanya Walton Pratt denied its request for a temporary restraining order in March. The judge found that the NCAA had not shown the immediate harm needed for emergency relief, but said the association could still pursue its claims as the case continues.
DraftKings says the schedule is too tight
DraftKings has opposed the proposed timeline, calling it unrealistic. The operator argues that a rushed schedule would limit discovery in a trademark case that may require records, marketing materials, expert reports and evidence about consumer understanding.
The company has also argued that the terms are used in a descriptive way rather than as a claim of official NCAA partnership. That defense puts the case into a familiar trademark fight over whether a protected name can be used to identify the event itself.
For DraftKings, the timing matters because March Madness is one of the busiest periods on the U.S. sports betting calendar. For the NCAA, the concern is that its tournament language is being used in a category it has refused to endorse.
The case remains a betting and brand dispute
The lawsuit adds another legal front to the NCAA’s fight with gambling companies. The association has opposed player prop bets, warned about harassment of student-athletes and pushed back against products it says tie college sports too closely to wagering.
The next step is whether the court agrees to move the case faster. If it does, the dispute could reach trial before the next tournament. If not, DraftKings may keep using the contested terms while the case moves through a longer schedule.
