Jordan Testifies He Would Have Said No To Dominick's Ad
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan took the stand Tuesday in his lawsuit against a now defunct supermarket chain that invoked his named without first asking him.
Jordan has sued Dominick's parent company Safeway for $10 million in damages, for using his name and jersey number in a magazine ad without his permission.
The 2009 ad, which included a coupon for $2 off steaks at Dominick's stores, congratulated Jordan for his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The six-time NBA champion told jurors he sued Dominick's to protect his image and likeness. He said Dominick's unauthorized ad was not consistent with protecting his image, and was a misuse of his likeness and his name.
Jordan was asked by his attorney for his reaction when he saw the Dominick's ad.
Jordan said, "I felt it was a misuse of my likeness and my image."
Jordan explained he approves every deal.
Jordan said he doesn't agree to any endorsement deals for less than $10 million.
Under cross examination, Dominick's attorney tried to pressure Jordan into admitting he wasn't qualified to compare how his name was used by companies with permission to the unauthorized use by Dominick's.
Jordan took the opportunity to repeatedly point out, "I didn't grant Dominick's any rights."
Last week, Jordan's business advisor also testified Jordan doesn't enter into deals for less than $10 million, although lawyers for Dominick's contend that overstates the market value of their ad, and they got Jordan's business adviser to admit he'd agreed to previous deals worth less than $10 million, including a $500,000 deal with Sirius satellite radio, though Jordan's attorneys contend the exposure from that commercial was worth $25 million to his brand.
Jordan said the Sirius deal was a major media buy on TV and in print, and he wouldn't do a one-page magazine ad, even if Dominick's had asked.
A judge already has ruled Dominick's should not have used Jordan's image in the ad, so the only question for jurors is how much Safeway should pay in damages.