Michael Jordan sues Qiaodan Sports for improper use of name

The basketball legend is taking action against the Chinese sportswear manufacturer to preserve the ownership of his personal brand, as 'Qiaodan' is the moniker Jordan has been known by since 1984, after he was seen on Chinese television for the first time as a member of the US Olympic team.

Local media publications such as the People’s Daily, Economic Daily and China Sports Daily have reported on Jordan’s basketball career in the past by referring to him as 'Qiaodan (乔丹)'.

Under Chinese law, the plaintiff in a naming rights lawsuit is entitled to injunctive relief and damages if the defendant acts in bad faith by intentionally using the name or other personal attributes of a famous public figure without authorisation.

Another condition is when the usage damages the plaintiff by causing confusion among consumers who mistakenly associate the infringer with the plaintiff. The court will take around one week to decide whether to accept a lawsuit or not, which is typical practice in China.

Hou points out that in Qiaodan's advertising outreach, the company has been marketing itself as a national brand, though it "will not take the initiative to tell each and every customer", and the misleading relevance of Michael Jordan and the Chinese brand is "just the people's guess".

A dedicated website has been set up by JumpDC, Jordan's business office in the US, with information relating to this lawsuit and a video message from the man himself.

According to a statement posted on Qiaodan's website last night, ever since the business started using the 'Qiaodan' brand in June 2000, Michael Jordan has never raised an objection or been in contact with the company.

Speaking to local media in a Q&A interview, Hou again claimed there are no connections between its brand and Michael Jordan. "23 is just a number, like $23 or 230 dollars… There are many other celebrities both in the US and worldwide called Jordan.”