Music publishers including Kobalt, Prescription Songs, and others are seeking to consolidate 13 copyright infringement lawsuits against NBA teams. The cases stem from alleged unauthorized use of protected music in social media videos posted to TikTok, Instagram, and NBA.com.

The publishers have filed a motion to consolidate these cases, with the Cleveland Cavaliers action serving as the lead case. While the defendants agree to consolidation for pre-trial proceedings, they oppose consolidation "for all purposes."

Key developments:

• One case has been removed from the original 14 suits, as the Atlanta Hawks are currently finalizing settlement terms
• The NBA league itself is not a party to these lawsuits
• These cases are part of a broader trend of copyright claims against brands using music in social media promotions
• Social platform music libraries are typically only cleared for personal, not commercial, use

Related copyright cases:

• Beastie Boys vs. Chili's parent company (answer due February 3rd)
• Universal Music vs. Chili's owner (answer due January 27th)
• Associated Production Music recently settled with several American Hockey League teams

The publishers have requested a conference with the court to discuss the consolidation motion. These proceedings are expected to continue into the new year, alongside similar copyright infringement cases in the entertainment industry.

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