By William Lee
The next time local grocers Jewel and Dominick's want to salute an accomplishment by Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan, they might want to just send him a card instead.
Jordan, who led the Bulls to six championships and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last September, filed lawsuits Monday against both grocery store chains for two separate ads celebrating the living legend that Jordan considers an infringement on his trademark and business interests.
The next time local grocers Jewel and Dominick's want to salute an accomplishment by Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan, they might want to just send him a card instead.
Jordan, who led the Bulls to six championships and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last September, filed lawsuits Monday against both grocery store chains for two separate ads celebrating the living legend that Jordan considers an infringement on his trademark and business interests.
Both suits, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, claim the ads,
each congratulating Jordan on his long list of achievements, were actually
clever and unauthorized ways of linking the former league-leading scorer to
their stores.
In the Dominick's ad, for example, the top half of the ad congratulates Jordan and features his trademark number, 23, while the bottom features a coupon on a Rancher's Reserve steak, a trademark of Dominick's parent company, Safeway.
Jordan was never contacted about the ad and would never be associated with the Dominick's steaks, as it would conflict with steakhouses and a direct-mail steak business Jordan has lent his name to, the suit states.
In the Jewel ad, a pair of Jordan's Air Jordan basketball shoes with number 23 on the tongues sit below a message of support that ends with Jewel's "just around the corner" slogan.
Officials at both Jewel and Dominick's couldn't be reached for comment. Jordan's longtime attorney, Fred Sperling, declined to comment.
The suits seek unspecified damages, attorney fees and to bar either store from using Jordan's name in future ads.
In the Dominick's ad, for example, the top half of the ad congratulates Jordan and features his trademark number, 23, while the bottom features a coupon on a Rancher's Reserve steak, a trademark of Dominick's parent company, Safeway.
Jordan was never contacted about the ad and would never be associated with the Dominick's steaks, as it would conflict with steakhouses and a direct-mail steak business Jordan has lent his name to, the suit states.
In the Jewel ad, a pair of Jordan's Air Jordan basketball shoes with number 23 on the tongues sit below a message of support that ends with Jewel's "just around the corner" slogan.
Officials at both Jewel and Dominick's couldn't be reached for comment. Jordan's longtime attorney, Fred Sperling, declined to comment.
The suits seek unspecified damages, attorney fees and to bar either store from using Jordan's name in future ads.
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haha you people are all retards. It clearly states in the article that they never contacted MJ about the add and the steaks obv interfear with other buisness ventures of his. Buisness is buisness. This has nothing to do with being money hungry, nor does it have anything to do wiht woman? get a life people tired of seeing pointless/offtopic comments everytime i read an article on the web.
The womanizer is a hypocrite. He doesn't like it so much when he is the object of cheating.
What a jag off! Jordan's true self is showing with actions like this and his weird, vindictive speech at the Hall of Fame induction... and it is ugly.
And Wanda, you are a racist. His ex-wife, who probably took half his money, was not a white girl. She was black, too. Get a life.
Good for him. It's within his right and just because he's a Chicago hero, doesn't mean he should allow himself to be advertised unknowingly. Jewel and Dominicks are at fault here, not Jordan.
Wanda, what the %&*^ are you talking about. You should probably drink less before bed time.
Michael do not need that little money,they had no right if anything they must need it to try something silly like that.I love Michael but i am mad cause when a black make a little money them white girls mommy put them out there to get 1/2 their money and they fall for it everytime.
HE JUST WANTS SOME MORE MONEY. CUZ HE'S BEEN OUT OF THE LOOP FOR SO LONG.
ABSURD.