Kick Rocks: Megan Rapinoe Threatens ‘Cease and Desist’ Against Dwayne Johnson Over XFL Logo

After XFL co-owner Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson unveiled the league’s newest logo, former USWNT captain Megan Rapinoe threatened a cease and desist order over its likeness to a familiar brand.

The litigation threatened by Rapinoe stems from the logo’s resemblance to the emblem for Togethxr: a progressive sports media brand spearheaded by Rapinoe’s wife, Sue Bird, and several other current or past Olympians.

Johnson tweeted out the XFL logo and Rapinoe quoted it, via Twitter:

“Welp. This is awkward. Only thing @TheRock and @XFL2023 are gonna be cookin up is a response to the Cease and Desist and an ENTIRE new brand ID. @togethxr got this on 🔒 boys.”

The Rock has yet to issue a public response to Rapinoe’s tweet from Thursday.

As reported by the New York Post, the retired soccer player’s tweet is classified as an unofficial cease and desist claim: giving credence to a legitimate legal filing on the way, despite the buddy-buddy tweet.

The XFL has been dormant since 2020, when the COVID pandemic shut down all sports and deflated an attempted comeback by the league.

Originally founded in 2001, the XFL was developed as an eight-team league set in the spring. The league failed to find solid footing within a space dominated by the NFL.

Revived in 2018 by Dwayne Johnson and his ex-wife, the XFL sought to make a comeback until COVID stifled those odds five weeks into its new run.

The XFL and Johnson may need to shake off one opponent in Rapinoe before focusing on returning to the field in 2023.

Follow along on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela