Nicklaus Golf Claims Wilson Knows Jack All Too Well
Jack Nicklaus and Nicklaus Golf Equipment Co. are suing Wilson Sporting Goods over Wilson's JACK line of golf balls, alleging that Wilson introduced the line last year without Nicklaus' approval, according to Kevin Mayhood of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. The suit contends that Nicklaus Golf has the rights to the name and has been making JACK irons since '97. Nicklaus is claiming trademark infringement and that Wilson is "misleading golfers into thinking" he is associated with the balls. Nicklaus attorney Michael Reed: "Anytime you put Jack with golf, you and everyone else knows who we're talking about." The suit also claims that ads on Wilson's Web site which read, "If you think there's a longer ball, you don't know Jack" borrow from Nicklaus Golf's marketing slogan, "If you don't know Air Bear, you don't know Jack" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 4/22).
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