Lebron Jordan Sues Lebron, Jordan, and Nike After Lebron, Jordan and Nike Threatens to Sue Lebron Jordan

Portland Business Journal --  "Just when you might have thought Lebron Jordan Inc. would be swept away by a deluge of trademark infringement litigation, it has filed a lawsuit of its own.

"The Brooklyn footwear startup, in a lawsuit filed Monday in the U.S. District of Eastern New York, is seeking $150 million each from Nike Inc., its Converse subsidiary, NBA legends LeBron James and Michael Jordan, and Jordan representatives Jump D.C. Inc. and Live Nation Inc.

"I first wrote about the Brooklyn-based athletic footwear startup in January, when CEO Aaron FraserMichael Jordan or LeBron James. insisted that the company’s name is in no way related to
Fraser said his godsons — who just happened to be named Lebron and Jordan — are his company’s namesake.

"Naturally, a raft of cease-and-desist letters came in, first from Nike and followed shortly thereafter by representatives of James and Jordan, including Live Nation and Jump D.C., which are affiliated with Jordan.

"Nike, in its letter, pointed out that not only does the company own several trademarks using the terms Jordan and LeBron, but one of the shoe models on Lebron Jordan’s Web site appeared to be a carbon copy of Converse’s iconic Chuck Taylor All-Stars. Going further, Nike pointed out that the shoe appears to be standing atop a Converse shoe box."

So let's get this straight.  Nike has shoe contracts with Lebron James and Michael Jordan and sells shoes with their names as registered trademarks of the brand.  Then another company comes along, sells shoes, and calls themselves LeBron Jordan.  And we are supposed to believe that this isn't trademark infringement?  I don't care if his grandkids are the real Lebron and Jordan, it doesn't change the fact  that Lebron Jordan can't use those names in association with selling shoes because Nike owns the trademark.  This pretty much satisfies into all the factors of the Polaroid Test.  And how long before Converse gets into this fight considering two of the shoe's proposed logos looks like the Chuck Taylor logo and they have it pictured on top of a Converse box. 

Just for fun, compare these images:

And now the shoes.

Lebron Jordan Mock Up

And the Air Jordan BCT

Sure seems like trademark infringement to me.  But all is not lost.  Maybe they can start a line of burger joints called Kobe Shaqs.