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Michael Jordan Wins $8.9 Million Lawsuit Over Likeness

Michael Jordan has always been known as the most competitive and the most ruthless basketball player of all-time. Whether it’s the basketball court, or the courtroom, Michael Jordan wins, period.

During his playing days, once Michael Jordan learned how to win and reached the pinnacle of the NBA, no one* was ever able to knock him off his throne atop the basketball world.

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*If you count the Bulls’ 1995 postseason loss to the Orlando Magic after Jordan returned from retirement to play in just 21 regular season games, you’re weird.

Now, 12 years after he suited up and played his last NBA game in Philadelphia, he’s still ruthless, and he’s still a winner. But this time, it’s a different court that Jordan is dominating.

On Friday night, it was announced that Jordan won his likeness lawsuit with Dominick’s, a defunct grocery store chain, and Dominick’s parent company, Safeway. The latter company will be forced to pay Jordan $8.9 million for using his likeness in a 2009 advertisement.

The ad was for Jordan being one of the inductees into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. Along with the ad was a $2 off coupon on a certain steak sold at the former grocery chain’s locations.

Per Darren Rovell, a business insider at ESPN, only two people used the coupon in the advertisement.

Jordan issued a statement after the verdict:

"I’m very pleased with today’s verdict. No one – whether or not they’re a public figure – should have to worry about their identity being used without their permission. This case was not about the money, as I plan to donate the proceeds to charity. It was about honesty and integrity. I hope this case sends a clear message, both here in the United States and around the world, that I will continue to be vigilant about protecting my name and identity. I also hope the size of the monetary award will deter others from using someone else’s identity and believing they will only pay a small penalty. I’d like to thank the members of the jury for their time and deliberation."

Jordan claimed that “it wasn’t about the money”, per Kim Janssen of the Chicago Tribune. “It was all just about protecting my name and my likeness,” Jordan said. Also, the $8.9 million that Jordan won over the lawsuit will be donated to a charity.

Wow. $8.9 million for an advertisement that two people used in purchases? If that’s not ruthless, I don’t know what is. However, it’s an awesome gesture that Jordan is donated his millions won in the lawsuit to charity. The greatest of all-time is worth over a billion dollars, so what’s almost nine million bucks to him anyway?

Next: Recapping Shaquille O'Neal's strange summer beef with the Chicago Bulls

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