In 2020, Michael Jordan had an iconic victory in China of all places. His Airness was fighting a legal battle with a Chinese company. As Sports Illustrated revealed, the company in question was accused of profiting off his name and using a logo that was eerily similar to the Jumpman logo. The victory saw Jordan win $54,000 as he followed the precedent set by his former teammate 24 years earlier. Dennis Rodman found himself in a similar pickle that saw him sue Fanatix Apparel. A $80,000 business that according to Rolling Stone made a killing by utilizing The Worm’s tattoos.
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Rodman setting an example for Jordan is in many ways a funny statement. More often than not, it was MJ who had to teach the eccentric Rodman a lesson or two. Especially back when they were teammates in Chicago. However, it seems that all that time they spent together rubbed off on the six-time NBA Champion. Seeing as he took inspiration from Dennis’ 1996 lawsuit.
Dennis Rodman once shut down an $80,000 business after they used his tattoos without authorization
In 1996, Dennis Rodman filed a $1 million lawsuit against Fanatix Apparel. Now, at the height of his fame with the Chicago Bulls, more and more people wanted Rodman-related merchandise. So, in an attempt to capitalize on this Micky Goldschmidt decided to make a long-sleeved t-shirt featuring The Worm’s iconic tattoos.
They were a hit, going off the shelves quickly, as many fans rocked the t-shirt at Bulls home games. Rodman took notice of this and was grateful for how the city of Chicago had embraced him. But, he wasn’t happy that his likeness was being used without his authorization.
So, one day, Goldschmidt received a call from Rodman’s agent, Dwight Manley, who told him to stop production. He offered to partner with the four-time NBA Champion, but his request fell on deaf ears. However, with an $80,000 deal with Osco Drug on the line, Goldschmidt refused to stop production. This forced Dennis to lawyer up, taking the case to a federal judge, effectively shutting down Fannatix. And, while Goldschmidt was disappointed and frustrated, there was nothing he could do.
“But after that phone call, Rodman’s side lawyered up. They filed for immediate injunctive relief, and the judge granted it. A week or two later, I was standing in front of a federal judge who told me that I should not pursue this any longer. One thing you learn in business very quickly is that if a federal judge tells you not to do something, you don’t do it.”
Fast forward 24 years, and Michael Jordan found himself in a similar pickle. The only difference was that his lawsuit was on a much larger scale. Nevertheless, he followed The Worm’s example.
Similarly to Rodman, Michael Jordan won a landmark case in 2020
Michael Jordan found himself in a similar situation to Dennis Rodman back in 2020. Much like The Worm had issues with someone using his likeness, MJ was fighting a case with the Chinese company Qiaodan Sports. The company used a logo eerily similar to the world-famous Jumpman logo and had profited off of Jordan’s name.
With the sketchy logo and the fact that his transliterated name in Chinese is “Qiaodan”, His Airness had a great case. A case he won, following which he was awarded $54,000 for emotional damages and legal expenses.
While it wasn’t the big money win many had hoped for, it was still a victory for Jordan and his brand. One that he can thank Rodman for, seeing as he derived inspiration from him.
