Yao Ming Wants To Reign Supreme Over Yao Ming Era

Photo Danny Friedmann
Story for the Sunday (星期日) 

Xinhua reported that Yao Ming, the tallest basketballer in the NBA, who has a contract with Reebok to wear their products, sued Wuhan Yunhe Dashayu Sportswear Co., Ltd for allegedly printing in Yao Ming's handwriting 姚明 一代 (Yao Ming Yi Dai) which means Yao Ming era or Yao Ming Era in English on shoes and apparel, see picture here. It was said that Yao Ming Yi Dai is popular in Hunan and that the alleged infringer wants to sell it nationwide.

Yao Ming registered his name as a trademark in several fields in 2002. However, Xinhua wrote that other "companies and individuals have registered Yao-Ming-related trademarks in China, like Yao Ming World, Yao Ming Empire, Yao Ming Rockets etc. Most of these trademarks are not printed on products."

Hopefully Yao Ming's era as basketball player is not coming to a close, since the Houston Rockets center is recovering from an ankle that could turn out his Achilles' heel. 

Read Chen Zhi's Xinhua article here.