LeBron James playfully swiped a beer from an arena vendor in Game 1 of the East semis Monday night, and Greal Lakes Brewing saw a can’t-miss marketing opportunity.
Not so fast, says LBJ.
New: LeBron, team don't want Great Lakes to market Dortmunder using his picture, considering suit @clevelanddotcom https://t.co/PdzjKkWPx6
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) May 3, 2017
James alleges that the beer maker (which has mocked him in the past) is trying to profit off him, and has his lawyers looking into the matter.
Per the NEOMG:
In 2010, after James announced he was leaving Cleveland as a free agent for the Miami Heat, Great Lakes Brewing produced, sold at its downtown brewpub “Quitness,” which it said was “a dry hopped India pale ale that leaves a bitter aftertaste, perfectly describing the mood of Cleveland sports fans these days.”
On Tuesday, Great Lakes tweeted a cardboard cutout of James holding the Dortmunder Gold and announced discounts on the beer at the pub. The company has since taken down the Tweet, but another is still up of James holding the beer with the caption: “G.O.A.T with the G.O.L.D”
“This is about the last thing I’m trying to worry about right now, my agent and my legal team will take care of it, but yeah I know (Great Lakes) is trying to benefit off of me,” James told cleveland.com. “And I heard they were the same company that made all those ‘Quitness’ beers, and now they’re trying to benefit off me this way? Yeah, it’s pretty funny.”
Sources close to James said that kind of advertising featuring James’ likeness would cost a company at least $2 million, maybe more.
