Elon Musk Threatens to Ban Indianapolis Colts Players from Purchasing Teslas Amid Partnership Dispute
CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has reportedly threatened to ban all Indianapolis Colts players from purchasing Teslas after a heated dispute over a failed promotional partnership between the NFL team and the electric car giant.
Sources close to the situation say tensions began simmering when the Colts rejected a proposed multimillion-dollar endorsement deal from Tesla, which included a controversial clause requiring players to exclusively drive Tesla vehicles and promote them during post-game interviews. According to insiders, team executives deemed the demands “overly restrictive” and “disruptive to player autonomy.”
The fallout escalated dramatically this morning when Musk allegedly posted—and quickly deleted—a cryptic tweet stating:
> “If the Colts don’t want to support sustainable transportation, their players can walk. No Teslas for them.”7
Shortly after, Musk appeared on a live audio stream on X (formerly Twitter Spaces), where he doubled down on his stance.
> “If a team is going to publicly reject a forward-thinking initiative like ours, then I see no reason to continue offering our vehicles to them. Tesla is more than a car—it’s a movement. Either you’re part of the future, or you’re not,” Musk said.
The Colts have not issued an official response, but a spokesperson hinted that the organization was “not intimidated by corporate bullying.”
Meanwhile, several Colts players expressed confusion and disbelief. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. joked on Instagram:
> “Wait, I just bought a Model S last week. Do I have to give it back?”
Legal experts are already speculating whether Tesla could enforce such a ban without violating anti-discrimination or consumer protection laws.
This unprecedented clash between a tech billionaire and a professional sports team has sparked widespread debate online, with hashtags like #TeslaBan and #MuskVsColts trending nationwide.
As of now, Tesla dealerships in Indiana have reported no interruptions in service—but fans and players alike are watching closely to see if Elon Musk will actually follow through on what might be the most unorthodox “ban” in recent sports-business history.