US Olympic Committee Attacks Logan Paul’s Drink Brand With Trademark Infringement Lawsuit

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee is suing YouTuber Logan Paul’s energy drink brand, accusing it of trademark infringement just a week before the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In a federal lawsuit filed Friday in the District of Colorado, the committee alleges that Paul’s company, Prime Hydration, used trademarked phrases — such as “OLYMPIC,” “OLYMPIAN,” “TEAM USA” and “GOING FOR GOLD ” – on your product packaging and in your online advertisements.

Ad copy seen in online stores that sell Prime, specifically the drink made in partnership with NBA star Kevin Durant, described the product as “Team USA Kevin Durant Drink” and the “Kevin Durant’s Olympic Drink.”

“Prime Hydration’s conduct was and continues to be willful, deliberate and in bad faith, with malicious intent to trade on the goodwill of the USOPC and the IOC,” the suit said, adding that the company caused “damage and damage irreparable” to the USOPC.

The committee, responsible for supporting Team USA athletes through training and funding, said in the lawsuit that it relies heavily on licensing its brands to fund the US Olympic Team, as it does not receive financial assistance from the federal government.

But unlicensed use of these marks can mislead the public and allow a seller to profit from its brand’s association with the Olympic Games despite having no official connection, the suit alleges.

The USOPC legal team contacted Prime Hydration on July 10 to ask the company to “cease infringement.” according to the lawsuit, which further alleged that Prime continued to ship the specified product and failed to remove all social media posts advertising it in the days following the letter.

An attorney for the USOPC, as well as representatives for Prime Hydration and Paul, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

However, several social media posts cited in the lawsuit appear to have been removed from Prime Hydration’s pages as of Sunday. The drink also appears to have been removed from the company’s website.

Prime, a sports drink brand that Paul developed in 2021 in collaboration with fellow YouTube star KSI, has come under scrutiny before.

Last July, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the company. This came later its energy drinks have achieved viral popularity among children – despite being advertised to consumers over 18. Lawmakers and health experts expressed growing concern about whether the drinks contained potentially dangerous levels of caffeine.

Although its Prime Hydration line is caffeine-free, Prime Energy drinks contain 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can, the equivalent of about a six-pack of cans of Coca-Cola or almost two 12-ounce cans of Red Bull.

About a month later, Prime faced a class action lawsuit alleging that a now-discontinued flavor of Prime Hydration contained perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals.” These substances can remain in the environment and in the human body, posing potential health risks. Paul disputed the claims earlier this year in a now unavailable TikTok video.

The USOPC seeks all profits associated with the sale of the allegedly infringing beverage – which the committee claims is worth millions of dollars – and compensation for alleged damages imposed under the committee’s sponsorship deals.