James sends cease-and-desist letter to Bron AI
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LeBron James has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bron AI, an AI sports betting app backed by YC, alleging unauthorized use of his name, nickname, and likeness. James's spokesperson confirmed the action to Front Office Sports. Bron AI's promotional video featured a character resembling James, wearing jersey No. 23 and imitating his voice; the video received over 900,000 views on X and was taken down about three hours later. James's side says he has an exclusive endorsement agreement with Polymarket, and the ad also implied he is involved in basketball betting, violating NBA rules. The Bron AI app is free to download, and its "pro" version costs $249.99 per year or $29.99 per month.
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- Hacker News AIYC Backed Bron AI Accused of Using LeBron's Name and Likeness
LeBron James sent a cease and desist letter to Bron AI, a Y Combinator-backed sports betting app, over an ad featuring a character resembling him in a jersey with his nickname "Bron" and number 23, which his camp says implies an unauthorized association and violates NBA rules given his Polymarket endorsement deal. The letter demands the company permanently stop using his likeness and notify all app users in writing that James has no involvement; a representative for Luka Dončić, whose photo also appears in the ad, says he too has sent a cease and desist. Bron AI is owned by PlayVision Inc., founded in 2025, and did not respond to requests for comment.
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