Former NBA star Michael Jordan. AP FILE PHOTO
Looks like Michael Jordan’s woes against Chinese brand Qiaodan Sports is far from over.
The NBA icon won his trademark lawsuit case against the China-based sporting goods brand last year, for using his name and Jordan brand trademark number in their products.
However, Qiaodan, pronounced “chee-ow dahn”—which is Jordan’s name in Chinese—is now countersuing the retired basketball legend for infringement of reputation.
According to China News Service, the company is demanding 1.1 million yuan (almost P7.5 million) in compensation for the supposed “malicious slander” brought upon by Jordan’s case.
Jordan was adamant that the products were fooling Chinese customers thinking he was affiliated with the brand. Qiaodan argues that such accusations brought down the company’s reputation and social devaluation.
The company’s lawyer, Chen Ruojian, said the settlement money is merely a temporary symbolic amount and the company is open to other means of compensation.
“We may change amount depending on our assessment of the letter’s impact,” he said. “Qiaodan Sports has had to undertake much effort to maintain its business relationship with its partners after Jordan and his lawyers made this attack.”
As of this writing, Jordan and his legal representatives have yet to respond to the lawsuit. Khristian Ibarrola /ra