A sneaker company is suing Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes for trademark infringement, according to a Friday report from ESPN, which cited court records.
The company, 1587 Sneakers, reportedly alleges in the suit that the name of the Kansas City steakhouse Kelce and Mahomes own, 1587 Prime, infringes its usage of the identical number combination and, as a result, is causing damage.
Along with business partner Noble 33, Kelce and Mahomes opened the restaurant last year. Its name derives from the stars’ jersey numbers — Mahomes’ No. 15 and Kelce’s No. 87 — whereas the sneaker company’s name is inspired by the year 1587, per its website, which explains that the year marks the first recorded presence of Asians in America. At that time, Filipino sailors initially arrived in what became the United States, it says.
“We are the first sneaker brand in the U.S. that is owned, designed and inspired by Asian American culture — empowering Asian Americans to be unapologetically themselves,” the site reads.
The sneaker company, which appeared on “Shark Tank” and was founded by Adam King and Sam Hyun, started selling its shoes in April 2023, per the suit, ESPN reported.
That’s before Kelce and Mahomes announced their plans to open their steakhouse, according to The Kansas City Star.
