My Chemical Romance Waves White Flag in Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Flap: ‘Agreement Reached’
My Chemical Romance has agreed to stop dressing its backup dancers in costumes resembling the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ uniform, ending a legal dispute before a court hearing. The disagreement centred on a staged gun battle at the band’s Hollywood Bowl show, where dancers in star-spangled outfits appeared with rifles.
The cheerleaders’ trademark owner, Pro Silver Star, sued in Texas, arguing that the performance linked its uniform with performers shooting and being shot. It said it was not seeking changes to the band’s music, story or choreography, only to the costumes. The band has two more Hollywood Bowl shows on 30 and 31 October before its Asian tour begins in South Korea on 7 November.
In short
- My Chemical Romance agreed to stop using the disputed costumes.
- The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ trademark owner sued over a stage skit.
- The agreement cancelled a scheduled court hearing.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Pro Silver Star can argue that its distinctive uniform and associated brand deserve protection from an unauthorised use that could suggest endorsement or harm its reputation. In particular, pairing a recognisable cheerleader-style costume with a staged gun battle may create an association the trademark owner reasonably wants to avoid, while a costume change leaves the band’s music and choreography intact.
The case against
The band can argue that the outfits were part of a fictional stage performance, using familiar visual references to build a story rather than to imply endorsement or trade on the cheerleaders’ reputation. Restricting such costumes could chill artistic expression, especially where the performance’s meaning depends on recognisable imagery; the band may also see a negotiated change as a practical way to end costly litigation rather than an admission that the original use was improper.
Explained simply
My Chemical Romance is an American rock band known for theatrical live shows. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are a dance team whose distinctive uniform is associated with the US American football team; Pro Silver Star owns the trademark rights to that uniform.
The dispute concerned dancers wearing similar-looking outfits during a staged gun battle at the band’s Hollywood Bowl concert. Trademark disputes can arise when a business believes another party’s use of a recognisable design could create an unwanted association with its brand.