Michael Jordan receives $46,000 from Chinese company over using his name 'unlawfully'

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan will be receiving money from the Chinese brand Qiaodan – who he has been in a legal battle with for years. As per recent reports, Jordan will be paid $46,000 for emotional damages. However, some reports have also pointed out some limitations with the laws. 

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Michael Jordan lawsuit: Qiaodan sued, to pay $46,000 to NBA legend

On December 30, 2020, the Shanghai Second Intermediate Court issued a verdict of the first instance in the case of former American professional basketball player Michael Jordan v. Qiaodan Sports Company and Bairen Trading Company for name rights disputes. pic.twitter.com/GmTd9dZgp2

— China IP Magazine (@ChinaIPMagazine) January 5, 2021

As per reports, the NBA Hall of Famer will be paid after the multiple Jordan and Qiaodan lawsuits. The verdict asks the Chinese sportswear company to pay six-time NBA champion $46,000 (RMB300,000). The conflict was over the name "Qiaodon", which translates to Jordan. Variety also reported that the company will also be paying $7,600 (RMB50,000) for additional legal expenses.

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What are the Michael Jordan emotional damages?

While Jordan has been filing lawsuits for years, Qiaodan will be paying him for "emotional damages". The Chinese court ruled in Jordan's favour, accepting that the name has been used unlawfully. Now, the company will not be able to use 'Qiaodan' as their corporate name or for products. Additionally, a public apology which refutes all relation to Jordan is also accepted. 

However, multiple trademarks will remain. As per the law in China, they cannot ask the company to let go of trademarks filed over five years ago. Due to the timeline, Qiaodan will continue using the older ones. As per reports, they have around Jordan-related trademarks. 

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However, they will have to take "reasonable measures" and make sure none of those are associated with the Bulls legend. The company also argued back, claiming that Jordan is a common and popular Western last name, not related to Jordan at all. Yet, they had used the number 23 (Jordan's jersey number) and the Chinese translations of his sons' name as well. Court looked at it as a "very obvious attempt to mislead" their buyers. 

They also added that it was with "intention of causing or allowing for public confusion". Jordan (since 2012), has filed 80 lawsuits against Qiaodan. 

Jordan, now 57, has a large fan base in China and other South-East Asian countries like South Korea. His popularity paved way for the NBA in China, and has continued to remain so even after his retirement. As per a survey, Chinese people ranked him the second most famous American after Albert Einstein and Bill Gates in 1998. Per Forbes, Jordan's The Last Dance and China earned the Jordan Brand $3.6 billion last year. 

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(Image credits: AP)