Chicago Jury Awards Michael Jordan $8.9 Million for Supermarket's Misuse of His Name, Jordan to Donate it to Charity
A Chicago jury has awarded Michael Jordan $8.9 million in a suit where the owner of a local supermarket chain used his name to promote a product in a store ad without gaining the permission of the Bulls Hall of Fame guard.
ESPN reports a jury deliberated for just over six hours before handing down Friday's verdict, which nearly matched the $10 million Jordan's attorneys had been seeking. The Bulls legend, who won six titles over eight seasons with the team, immediately announced that he planned to donate all the money to local charities.
Lawyers for Safeway, owner of now-defunct Chicago-based chain Dominick's, had argued Jordan should only be awarded a maximum of $126,900 in damages. The 2009 ad featured Jordan's induction into the NBA Hall of Fame and ran in a commemorative Sports Illustrated issue.
"I'm pleased with today's verdict," Jordan said in a statement. "No one -- whether or not they're a public figure -- should have to worry about their identity being used without their permission. The case was not about the money as I plan to donate the proceeds to charity. It was about honesty and integrity."
In totaling the amount to award Jordan, jurors sent a note to the judge on Friday which simply read, "We need a calculator."
Over the course of the trial, lawyers for Jordan publicly disclosed some of the endorsement earnings he has pocketed over the years, including $480 million that was paid to him by Nike from 2000 to 2012.
Jordan triumphantly hugged his lawyers after the decision was read.
"I'm so used to playing on a different court," he said.
Later, Jordan could be seen posing for pictures with two jurors armed with cellphone cameras.
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