Copyright Staten Island Advance
The Knicks do not take unauthorized use of their logos lightly, and they expressed that by reaching out to both the president of the United States and the soon-to-be-mayor of New York City. New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Guardian Angels CEO Curtis Sliwa in a tightly contested race. He will replace outgoing Mayor Eric Adams. President Donald Trump had been critical of Mamdani before the election, saying he would consider withholding federal funds from New York City if Mamdani won. Late Tuesday night, after Mamdani was declared the winner, the White House X account (formerly Twitter) posted “Trump Is Your President” in an image that resembled the Knicks logo. According to Front Office Sports’ Margaret Fleming, the Knicks contacted the White House and asked for the image to be removed, and it was deleted Wednesday. The Knicks released a statement that was also sent to NJ Advance Media’s Adam Zagoria about the request. “The Knicks remain neutral on political matters,” the Knicks told Flemming in a statement Wednesday. “We hope all our elected officials, whether current or recently elected, do a great job in office.” This is not the first time the Knicks have requested a political figure not use their logo. The team reached out to Mamdani’s campaign when a television ad, which played Oct. 22 during the Knicks’ season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, showed two men playing basketball. A variation of the Knicks logo appeared at the end with the caption “New York Zohran.” Fleming stated the team tried to contact Mamdani’s campaign but received no response. The Knicks then sent a cease-and-desist letter. The ad did not run again.
