Key Takeaways
• Resolved: Victor Wembanyama settled a lawsuit against a merchandise seller who was using his name without permission.
• Quick Conclusion: A month after being filed, the case on the lawsuit concluded Nov. 15 after both parties agreed to the settlement, terms of which were not released.
Victor Wembanyama goes hard on the court – and in the courtroom apparently.
Just a month after the San Antonio Spurs’ star filed a lawsuit against a merchandise seller using his name for products like apparel, mouse pads, magnets, wrapping paper and drinkware, the case has been resolved after the two parties reached a settlement.
The trouble began when Austin, TX, resident James T. Glodich started a site called “Wemby’s World” with the express purpose of selling products relating to the NBA’s 2023-24 season Rookie of the Year.
Glodich even tried to trademark the phrase, but was unsuccessful. After getting rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Glodich received official cease and desist letters from Wembanyama’s people. He was undeterred and kept selling the products.
Wemby wasn’t going to let Glodich post him up, however, and the Spurs’ big man sued the merch purveyor.
According to court records, the case was closed on Nov. 15 by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin after the parties reached a settlement. Details of the agreement weren’t disclosed.
The “Wemby’s World” website is not active; it says “Coming Soon.”
In the modern sports world, nicknames and major moments get ever more oxygen thanks to social media and internet “meme-ification.”
It’s natural for merchandise sellers, especially those operating in mediums like print-on-demand apparel, to try to capitalize on these moments by selling products. Nonetheless, distributors and decorators need to be cautious and refrain from infringing on copyrights and trademarks, especially when using things like team names, logos or player names and likenesses. To do otherwise is to risk a legal chastening, as Glodich and others, like print-on-demand company Vintage Brand, have found out.
Of course, one could also probably take no for an answer the first time, as Glodich did not.
