Michael Jordan Looks for Off-Court Win in China Trademark Suit
- Case is closely watched for intellectual property rights rules
- Chinese shop registered to use transliteration of Jordan name
Michael Jordan.
Photographer: Hu Chengwei/Getty ImagesChina’s top court could rule within days on Michael Jordan’s closely watched trademark suit against a Chinese sportswear company, a final decision that could set a legal precedent for other foreign companies seeking to protect their property rights in the world’s second-largest economy.
In the appeal hearing that started on Tuesday, Jordan’s lawyers argued that Qiaodan Sports Co. Ltd., a family-owned business with about 6,000 shops selling shoes and sportswear throughout China, has damaged the basketball star’s legal rights to his name, asking that the company’s trademark registrations be revoked. Qiaodan, pronounced "Chee-ow dahn", is a Mandarin transliteration of Jordan that was registered by the Chinese company more than a decade ago. Jordan first sued the company in 2012 and lower courts have ruled on behalf of the Chinese company.