Pursuits
LeBron, Kobe Tattoos in Video Games Trigger Copyright Suit
- Tattoo `copyrightability' hasn't been decided by a court
- Artists say their original works are sold to millions for free
Kobe Bryant greets LeBron James.
Photographer: Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are at the center of an obscure legal battle over a simple question: can tattoos be copyrighted?
Video game maker Take Two Interactive Software Inc. was sued Monday in Manhattan federal court over claims its NBA games violate copyrights by depicting the actual tattoos of James, Bryant and other stars including Kenyon Martin, DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe.