NBA Player LeBron James And Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban Squabble Over Copyright; Above The Law, April 5, 2018

Krista L. Cox, Above The Law; NBA Player LeBron James And Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban Squabble Over Copyright

"[LeBron] James may be trying to assert protection over the idea of a series filming a conversation with sports stars in a barbershop. The problem here, of course, is that a very basic understanding of copyright involves recognition of the idea/expression dichotomy. Although a rightholder can hold copyright over the expression of an idea, he cannot copyright the idea itself. Not even all expression is protectable, since there may be a limited way to express a set of facts, for example. Talking in a barbershop is not only a non-protectable idea under copyright, but it’s not even a unique idea.

Talking in a barbershop is so common that Hollywood basically made a movie about it, entitled Barbershop. And then made two more sequels. Plus a spinoff called Beauty Shop. While there may be more to James’ claim, if his position really is that his idea is copyrightable, well, he’s unlikely to find a sympathetic judge."

Failure to Register LeBron James' Tattoo as Copyright Proves Costly; Hollywood Reporter, 8/2/16

Ashley Cullins, Hollywood Reporter; Failure to Register LeBron James' Tattoo as Copyright Proves Costly:

"Animators behind the NBA 2K video game series did such a good job bringing to life basketball stars like LeBron James that they were sued for copyright infringement for recreating his tattoos.

Solid Oak Sketches sued 2K Games and Take-Two Interactive Software in February, claiming it owns the copyrights to tattoos emblazoned on several NBA stars including James, Kobe Bryant and Eric Bledsoe.

The tattoo designers were seeking actual damages in an amount to be determined at trial, or statutory damages and attorneys' fees — but a New York federal judge on Tuesday ruled out the latter.

"[I]n order to obtain statutory damages and attorneys' fees, a plaintiff must have registered its copyright prior to the alleged infringement," U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain writes.

In this case, Swain finds, defendants' alleged infringement began with NBA 2K14 in 2013 and the tattoo designs weren't registered with the U.S. Copyright Office until 2015."