IPL 2025: Champak Magazine sues BCCI over Robotic Dog name

BCCI sued by Champak magazine for trademark infringement in naming IPL robot dog. (Photo: IPL)

The ongoing IPL 2025 is entering the business end of the group stage, but the tournament has been hit by a fresh controversy. Delhi Press Patra Prakashan Pvt Ltd, the publisher of Champak magazine since 1968, has filed a lawsuit against the BCCI. They have objected to the BCCI naming the robotic dog introduced in IPL 2025 as ‘Champak’.

According to the publishers, the cricket board cannot use the same name without permission. They are also unhappy that the name is being used for a commercial purpose without any prior approval.

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The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the BCCI in response to the copyright infringement suit. However, Justice Saurabh Banerjee noted that the robotic dog’s name was chosen based on the results of an online poll held by the BCCI.

He said, “Where is the commercial element? They are using it for whatever reason, it’s very early for me to decide… please appreciate. They are using the AI-generated dog for whatever reason but the Instagram page emphatically shows that the name is not of their choice and is based on fan votes. It’s a majority win.”

He further added, “There is no adoption per se by the entity naming. Empathetically, without hearing them, I am not intending to grant ad-interim ex-parte injunction. I’m not convinced. There are no pleadings, no supporting documents (on proving commercial usage).”

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Senior advocate J Sai Deepak, representing BCCI, argued that fans did not associate the name with the children’s magazine. Instead, they linked it to a character from the popular television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.

He said, “Champak magazine is not the only entity using ‘Champak’. In the public domain, the name Champak is used for different characters – in series – Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. None has associated the name with the magazine but a character.”

The court is scheduled to hear the matter again on July 9.

What is ‘Champak, the Robotic Dog’ in IPL 2025?

‘Champak’ was first introduced in this year’s IPL during the match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in Delhi earlier in April. It is a robotic dog with a mounted camera that can walk, run, jump, and even stand on its hind legs.

The robotic dog has been developed by global broadcast technology company wTVision in collaboration with Omnicam. It has quickly become a fan favourite and a centre of attraction. Several players, including MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya, have been seen interacting with it before and after matches.