Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article Game Plan Inc., a Maryland based nonprofit organization focused on the development of America’s youth, has filed a lawsuit against NBA superstar LeBron James’ media company (Uninterrupted LLC), Nike Inc., ESPN and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. for trademark infringement over the use of the phrase I AM MORE THAN AN ATHLETE. The “More Than An Athlete” Nike Air Force 1 and apparel collection will be sold exclusively on Uninterrupted’s e-commerce store starting Monday, October 7. Experts Weigh InI’ve Been Making Roti Jala Since I Was 10. We won’t get into all of the specifics of the opposition, but a quick look into the responses submitted by Uninterrupted in the opposition clarifies their statement of owning prior rights to the MORE THAN AN ATHLETE trademark when responding the federal lawsuit filed. The phrase gained popularity when James responded to journalist Laura Ingraham’s statement that he should not talk politics and should just “shut up and dribble.” On February 16, 2018, James posted a picture of a neon I AM MORE THAN AN ATHLETE sign and the hashtag #wewillnotshutupanddribble. "I am more than an athlete" is a phrase that sums up LeBron's incredible life story while inspiring others to strive for greatness. Since then, LeBron has entered into deals with Nike to sell merchandise and apparel with the phrase, ESPN has aired footage with the phrase, and Take-Two Interactive uses the neon sign and phrase in its extremely popular NBA 2K video game.

James began using the phrase in 2018 after he was told to "shut up and dribble" by Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Although he wasn’t playing in the game, James was in attendance, and according to Game Plan, surely saw the mark being used. "Uninterrupted owns prior rights in and to the 'More Than An Athlete' trademark." Now, Game Plan is seeking $33 million in damages for the alleged infringement. "Uninterrupted owns prior rights in and to the More Than An Athlete trademark." Here, Uninterrupted submitted a number of trademark applications in March of 2018 for the phrase covering a variety of goods and services as shown below:     Game Plan, however, filed a trademark opposition to all of Uninterrupted’s applications after the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) approved them. You Can TooLincoln partners with Calm to offer meditation, mindfulness exercises to customersWE Charity registers as lobbyist, lays off staff, looking to sell real estateOil prices rise, head for weekly gain amid cautious hopes for fuel demand recoveryNHL playoff bracket 2020: Updated TV schedule, scores, results for the Stanley Cup playoffsCardi B Calls Out Male Rappers For Not Speaking Up More About Breonna Taylor’s Tragic DeathChristine Quinn’s Wardrobe Is the Star of Selling Sunset Season 3The Extreme Lyme Disease Symptoms One Woman Has Lived With for 3 YearsHow to Freeze Tomatoes Without Totally Changing Their TextureSubaru Lineup Through 2024 Allegedly Leaked, And You'll Be HappyNew court date in Saskatchewan's fight to get teepee off legislature lawn‘You don’t have to like every piece of art’: Nenshi condemns outrage towards proposed BLM muralsMookie Betts ties MLB mark with 6th career 3-homer gameDua Lipa Accidentally Refers To Blake Shelton As Gwen Stefani’s Husband — See Her ReactionDuchess Meghan and Prince Harry have bought a house in Santa BarbaraAre Neck Gaiters Really ‘the Worst’ COVID-19 Face Covering?My Life Revolved Around the Tourists Who Poured Into Orlando—Until They Stopped ComingDaimler reaches $3 billion settlement agreement with US over diesel cheating'It's not just about me': McKenna cites need to protect politicians from threats'Do you regret all your lying?' © George Pimentel / Getty Images Entertainment / GettyKeep your child's online experience safe, fun, and productive with QustodioAmazon Top Seller: Echo Dot (3rd gen) - Smart speaker with AlexaAmazon's Choice: The Only Anti-Aging Vitamin C Serum You'll Need A youth organization has accused basketball great LeBron James of stealing his “More Than An Athlete” slogan from them, and they are suing for $33 million. A Hood for Your Head. Based on the most recent filing in the opposition proceeding, Game Plan claims that this is actually an admission of infringement. According to the complaint, Game Plan Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization “dedicated to enhancing, informing, and educating the youth to ascend through the ranks of high school and college athletics and academics in order to attain professional level success whether in sports or otherwise.” It owns federal trademark registration #5487497 for I AM MORE THAN AN ATHLETE. I am more than an athlete in connection to LeBron James being more than a basketball player," the Game Plan suit alleged. Upon approval of a trademark by the USPTO, each application enters into an opposition period where third parties may oppose the registration of the mark if they feel they would be damaged if the mark were to register. “Uninterrupted owns prior rights in and to the ‘More Than An Athlete’ trademark.” Game Plan, a non-profit that guides young athletes to achieve professional success in and out of sports in the D.C.-Maryland area, says a group of youths from the program attended an October 2017 Cavaliers-Wizards preseason game – with James in attendance – wearing T-shirts with the slogan. Game Plan Inc. says it filed an application for U.S. trademark registration of the term in 2016, with the mark registered on June 5, 2018. In a statement, Uninterrupted said:“The complaint filed by Game Plan today is meritless and contains numerous factual inaccuracies,” the company said.

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