NME and TheWrap, Pro Silver Star Ltd., the owner of the cheerleading brand, has asked a Texas court to prevent the band from continuing to use the costumes in its performances, according to reports by NBC News. My Chemical Romance is facing a legal challenge from the company behind the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders over dancers wearing lookalike uniforms during the rock band’s Hollywood Bowl residency in Los Angeles. The dispute centres on a theatrical sequence in which dancers dressed in outfits resembling the cheerleaders’ distinctive blue-and-white uniforms took part in a staged gunfight. The company argues that the use of its recognisable branding in a violent performance could damage the reputation and commercial value of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
What happened during the Hollywood Bowl performance?
Pro Silver Star filed its request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on October 23, seeking to stop the band from using the disputed uniforms. Footage from the October 23 concert appeared to show dancers wearing similar outfits again, according to NME and Rolling Stone. The band had further Hollywood Bowl dates scheduled for October 30 and 31, bringing its five-show residency to a close.
The company contends that the outfits reproduce distinctive elements of the cheerleaders’ established look, including white boots, white shorts, blue cropped tops and white vests decorated with blue stars, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times and TheWrap. Neither My Chemical Romance nor its representatives had publicly responded to media requests for comment, according to reports published by NBC News and TheWrap. The sequence formed part of the band’s theatrical presentation for its anniversary tour. However, the resemblance between the costumes and the professional cheerleading squad’s signature outfits has now become the focus of a legal dispute. Pro Silver Star maintains that the costumes could lead audiences to believe the performers were official members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The company has pointed to social media reactions as evidence that some viewers made that connection. The dispute goes beyond costume similarities. The company argues that using recognisable uniforms in a simulated shooting sequence risks associating the real cheerleading squad with violence, potentially harming its reputation and commercial goodwill. Pro Silver Star also alleges that it approached the band about discontinuing the costumes before turning to the courts. The company is seeking unspecified monetary damages alongside the requested court order. The legal action raises questions about the limits of trademark protection for recognisable uniforms when they are incorporated into artistic performances. Whether the disputed costumes would appear in those performances remained uncertain at the time of reporting. The request for an injunction is a legal claim, not a final finding of infringement, and the outcome will depend on the court proceedings.