Chiefs Stars Mahomes and Kelce Hit with Trademark Lawsuit Over Steakhouse Name
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, alongside their business partners at Noble 33, are facing a federal lawsuit over the naming of their upscale Kansas City steakhouse, 1587 Prime, and its associated apparel line. The legal action has been filed by Boston-based footwear company 1587 Sneakers in a New York federal court.
Core of the Trademark Dispute
The lawsuit asserts that 1587 Sneakers first utilised the four-digit number 1587 to market and sell its products back in 2023. This was a full two years prior to the official opening of Mahomes and Kelce's restaurant in September 2025. While the sneaker brand's application for a clothing trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) was only submitted in late 2024 and remains under review, the steakhouse filed for its trademark in the bar and restaurant category in December 2023.
According to legal documents obtained by the Daily Mail, the plaintiff argues that its prior commercial use of the number is the critical factor, rendering the timing of formal trademark applications largely irrelevant. The filing explicitly dismisses the distinction created by the steakhouse's added term "PRIME."
"Defendants' added term 'PRIME' does nothing to distinguish the Accused Marks from Plaintiff in any legally meaningful way," the complaint states.
Divergent Origins of the Number 1587
The naming inspirations behind the two brands are entirely different. For the restaurant, 1587 Prime is a combination of the athletes' jersey numbers: 15 for Mahomes and 87 for Kelce. Conversely, the sneaker company, which targets the Asian American market, selected 1587 as a historical reference to the year it is believed Asians first reached North America.
Legal Perspectives and Allegations of Confusion
Speaking to ESPN, trademark attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben IP expressed skepticism about the strength of the sneaker company's case. "I think it's a tough case for the sneaker company," Gerben said. "Trademarks can coexist in different industries... Given that the marks are essentially identical here, is a restaurant and a shoe company too close? Are consumers likely to be confused in thinking they are affiliated with one another?"
The lawsuit, however, claims that such confusion is already a reality. The complaint alleges that "scores of consumers have contacted Plaintiff with the mistaken belief that it is affiliated or endorsed the Defendants' use of its senior mark." It further contends that the defendants' activities "are likely to and in fact already have caused harm due to their use of a confusingly similar name."
The sneaker company is seeking a court order to force 1587 Prime to change its name and cease selling apparel featuring the 1587 branding. The lawsuit also demands unspecified monetary damages.
Restaurant's Rocky Start and Broader Controversies
The steakhouse, touted as a celebrity hotspot and inevitably boosted by the "Taylor Swift effect," opened to mixed reviews. Food critic Liz Cook, writing for the Defector, criticised the venue as overpriced. While praising its aesthetic—a marble staircase and smartly dressed staff—she lambasted the food and drink offerings. Cook described a signature cocktail, 'The Alchemy' (created as a tribute to Taylor Swift), as tasting "like a Cosmo someone had strained through a French Vanilla Yankee Candle." She also reported issues with steaks being thin or overcooked and arriving without proper cutlery.
Beyond the trademark suit and critical reception, the restaurant group Noble 33 is embroiled in separate legal turmoil. Former chief legal officer Matthew Syken has filed lawsuits in Nevada and California alleging misconduct by Noble 33 co-founders Tosh Berman and Michael Tanha. Syken claims he was wrongfully terminated in retaliation for exposing an alleged scheme by Berman and Tanha to siphon millions of dollars from a gift card program with a company called inKind.
An attorney for Noble 33, Brian Timmons, has denied these allegations, calling them "ridiculous claims" and characterising Syken's suit as retaliatory. It is important to note that neither Mahomes nor Kelce are named in Syken's lawsuit and are not accused of any wrongdoing in that matter.
Offseason for the Chiefs Duo
As the legal proceedings unfold, Mahomes and Kelce are in their offseason after the Chiefs missed the playoffs in 2025. Mahomes is rehabilitating from knee surgery, while veteran tight end Kelce, now a free agent, is rumoured to be considering a return to Kansas City. Any new contract for Kelce could be complicated by the team's salary cap constraints heading into the 2026 season.
The Daily Mail has sought comment from representatives for Kelce, Mahomes, and Noble 33. Kelce's publicist declined to comment to ESPN regarding the trademark lawsuit.
