A trademark dispute over the name “JD Sports” has reached federal court in Indiana. The Finish Line, Inc., which does business as JD Sports, along with its parent company JD Sports Fashion Plc, is asking the court to declare that its use of the JD Sports name does not infringe on the rights of J.D. Sport LLC, a Pennsylvania company.
J.D. Sport LLC, founded in 1989 in Pennsylvania, operates a single store that provides custom embroidery, screen printing, and team apparel for local schools and organizations. The business does not have federal trademark registrations and instead relies on common law rights tied to its local use of the “J.D. Sport” name.
The dispute arose in 2025 when J.D. Sport sent letters to JD Sports Fashion alleging consumer confusion and demanding that the company stop using the JD Sports name nationwide. JD Sports Fashion denied the allegations, citing its federal trademark rights and differences between the businesses.
After additional correspondence and threats of legal action, JD Sports Fashion filed its lawsuit. The company is asking the court to confirm that its use of the JD Sports name does not amount to trademark infringement or unfair competition, to limit any rights held by J.D. Sport to its local area, and to consider whether delays in raising the claims prevent them from being enforced.
The case has been assigned to Judge James Patrick Hanlon and Magistrate Judge Crystal S. Wildeman in the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana Case No. 1:25-cv-01424.