Duke isn’t happy with "The White Lotus"

*Minimal spoilers ahead*

Not all publicity is good publicity, according to Duke University, which is upset over The White Lotus’ use of its marks in the HBO show’s latest season.

At issue: Season 3 prominently features the Ratliffs, a Durham-based family split along Tobacco Road lines (Duke/UNC). Duke merch is seen in multiple episodes––including one in which Jason Isaacs‘ character, Timothy Ratliff, contemplates suicide and holds a gun to his head while wearing a Duke T-shirt.

• This scene spawned a viral March Madness-related meme (3+ million views on X), prompting the university to reply: “Suicide is the second-leading cause of death on college campuses. Rivalry is part of March Madness but some imagery goes too far. If you or someone you know needs support, call or text the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988.”
• More broadly, Frank Tramble, Duke’s vice president for communications, marketing and public affairs, told the NY Times that the university did not approve of the use or portrayal of its brand in the program.

Can the school do anything about it? Probably not, according to IP law experts. Courts have consistently sided with artists in disputes over the use of well-known trademarks for artistic or expressive purposes (see: Pepperdine’s recent lawsuit against the Netflix show Running Point).

In other Duke news…Its women’s basketball team was eliminated in the March Madness Elite Eight this weekend, while its men’s team clinched a Final Four berth.