The ad congratulated Jordan on his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame and included a $2 coupon for steak along with the phrase “Michael Jordan…”
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“I’m pleased with today’s verdict”.
A Chicago jury yesterday ordered Dominick’s to pay Michael Jordan $8.9 million because it used his name on its ad without permission, reports ESPN.
Dominick’s Finer Foods has acknowledged it wasn’t authorized to use Jordan’s image in a 2009 magazine ad. The jury will decide the fair market value of the infringement by the grocery chain, which has since gone out of business. Rodney Fort, a professor at the University of Michigan who teaches sports management, testified that a one-time use of Jordan’s image in the advertisement wouldn’t cost more than $US126,900, based on comparable deals, according to the Chicago Tribune.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sperling mentioned that Nike Inc. paid Jordan $480 million between 2000 and 2012 – an average of $40 million per year.
“I hope this case sends a clear message, both here in the United States and around the world, that I will continue to be vigilant about protecting my name and identity”. He didn’t specify which charity, but said he’d like to keep the money in Chicago.
Michael Jordan emerging from the Federal building Friday night saying it’s not the type of court he likes to win at.
“You can go get a steak over there”, he said. The Jordan lawsuit was the bitter end of a huge money-losing venture.
Earlier in the day, jurors had to calculate how much Dominick’s should pay Jordan for invoking his likeness.
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A lawyer for Safeway argued Friday that the use in the Sports Illustrated ad was worth only about $127,000.
