Michael Jordan returned to Chicago last week. Instead of bringing a display of dunks and jump shots, he brought a civil suit against Safeway Inc., the parent company of Dominick's, the now defunct grocery store chain. The case has brought a slew of basketball fans to the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in the Loop hoping to catch a glimpse of the man who led the Bulls to six NBA championships during the '90s.
While it's been great to have "His Airness" back in town, the exact reason why he's suing a chain of grocery stores can be a bit confusing. Here's a breakdown of Jordan's court case for those who aren't interested in sifting through a week's worth of news clips.
Why is Jordan suing Dominick's?
In 2009, Dominick's Finer Foods ran an ad in Sports Illustrated congratulating Jordan for his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame above a coupon for $2 off Rancher's Reserve steaks. The ad included a silhouette of Jordan dunking, his famed number 23 and copy reading, "YOU ARE A CUT ABOVE."
Jordan is claiming that the ad soiled his brand image and is seeking compensation. According to the AP, a federal judge ruled in 2012 that Dominick's used the five-time NBA MVP and two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion's identity without permission. This case is seeking damages for such.
How much will he end up getting in damages?
Jordan's attorney Fred Sperling is asking the jury to pay $10 million and is arguing that that figure is the fair market value for using the 1985 NBA Rookie of the Year's identity. Over the past week, the prosecution has brought in a litany of witnesses to help establish the value behind Jordan's image. These witnesses have included vice chairman of the Charlotte Hornets (of which Jordan is the majority owner) Curtis Polk and Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist. Rodney Fort, a professor of sports management at the University of Michigan, testified against Jordan, saying that the prosecution is drastically overestimating his worth—and that he's owed no more than $126,900.
The final figure will come down to the decision of the jury.
Why is Jordan quibbling over $10 million?
The 10-time NBA scoring leader and three-time AP Athlete of the Year made more than $100 million in endorsements last year, according to Bloomberg, which makes one wonder why he's investing his time and money into suing a grocery store chain that has exited the Chicago market. In all likelihood, the suit has little to do with his Highland Park estate that has been on the market since Leap Day 2012 and has had its listed price reduced by more than $14 million since 2012. According to The Wall Street Journal, Jordan testified on Tuesday that the Dominick's ad directly damaged the value of his brand and said, "I didn't do deals for anything less than $10 million."
In the end, this case aims at establishing a legal precedent over the value of the star's likeness. Jordan is also involved in a case with Jewel-Osco over a similar advertisement.