Michael Jordan has lost out on sneaker sales thanks to a Chinese company that capitalized on the translation of his name.
In 1990, the first year Air Jordans were sold in China, Jordan only registered the English version of his name. This freed up companies such as Qiaodan, a transliteration of Jordan’s name in Chinese, to freely rip off his brand.
To a novice, and from a distance, the sneakers look very similar to signature Air Jordans. The copies, of course, go for a fraction of the retail price of the originals. For example, a pair of Nike Air Jordan 7s will run you $190. Qiaodan’s version is listed at $55.10, including free shipping, on the company’s official website.
Experts say this is a problem many American retailers have encountered in China. In America, a trademark is given to whomever uses it first. In China, it’s given to whomever files for it first. Typically, American companies wind up paying Chinese firms, who’ve trademarked U.S. brand names in their native tongue, huge sums of money, according to NPR.
The company currently has over 6,000 locations in China, and the profit made from the knock-off kicks is said to be hundreds of millions of dollars.
After multiple unsuccessful battles in court between MJ and the company, Nike now has plans on taking the company to China’s Supreme Court.
Even if Nike and MJ never recoup the money lost, the first ever Jordan store opening in Chicago should help ease their pain.
H/T SportingNews
