Nike is in hot water…but the powerhouse athletic brand isn’t really too concerned about it. Nike is being sued over their iconic “Jumpman” logo that was a stamp attached to the basketball GOAT Michael Jordan.
Two months ago, news broke out that photographer Jacobus Rentmeester was suing Nike over the Jumpman logo. The photographer took a photo of Michael Jordan soaring through the air on an empty basketball court which he believes looks like the exact same logo Nike uses for Jordan Brand’s logo. Nike is asking the court to drop the case immediately arguing that the logo and Rentmeester’s 1984 photo do not have enough similarities; as Ninth Circuit law states, it can only be considered copyright infringement if the two images are “virtually identical.”
Here is what Nike had to say about the case:
“Simply put, Rentmeester does not have a monopoly on Mr. Jordan, his appearance, his athletic prowess, or images of him dunking a basketball—his copyright begins and ends with his specific original expression of that subject and theme.”
This seems like a case the sportswear company is no stranger to. You can read Nike’s full response at Portland Business Journal.
