Oklahoma City-based Adventure Enterprises filed a lawsuit “claiming that it consulted” with LeBron James’ Uninterrupted platform about the idea for the barbershop-themed series “The Shop” before being “cut out of the production,” according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. The suit claims that over a period of two years, Adventure “engaged in ‘numerous talks’” with Uninterrupted “in order to ‘flesh out the idea and figure out a strategy for pitching it to various networks.’” The lawsuit is “seeking an injunction that would cease the production of future episodes of ‘The Shop,’ as well as ‘serious’ monetary compensation.” Adventure is "also suing" Uninterrupted CEO Maverick Carter (ESPN.com, 4/16). In Birmingham, Creg Stephenson noted Uninterrupted in recent weeks "sent a cease-and-desist letter" to Alabama's athletic department, arguing that the school's "Shop Talk" web series "could have infringed on copyrights and intellectual property from James' 'The Shop'" (BIRMINGHAM NEWS, 4/17). USA TODAY's Jeff Zillgitt cited a source as saying that the lawsuit filed against James is a "publicity stunt" (USA TODAY, 4/17). ESPN's Trey Wingo said of the lawsuit, "I'll be curious to see whether or not there were conversations and what legal protections this Adventure Enterprises did to protect themselves because LeBron and staff do have a patent on this" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 4/17). ESPN's Michelle Beadle: "There are no new ideas" ("Get Up!," ESPN, 4/17).
JUST A KID FROM AKRON: In Akron, Craig Webb notes photos yesterday "were leaked on nikelebron.net -- a website dedicated to all things pertaining to James' shoes -- showing a version of his signature Soldier line that pays homage" to James' alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School. It would "not be the first basketball shoes to honor" the school, but it would be the "first ones in recent memory to be made available to the public." The "SVSM Home" basketball shoes "feature the school's signature green as an accent along with its mascot name, the Irish, on the front." However, there is "no timetable from Nike of when, or even if," the shoe will ever be released (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 4/18).
