Chinese Trademark Gamble on Jeremy Lin Pays Off

Back in 2010, when Jeremy Lin was 'just' a Harvard-educated, undrafted rookie with the Golden State Warriors, Chinese businesswoman Yu Minjie, the owner of a sporting goods company, took 5,000 yuan ($793) and purchased the trademark for “Jeremy S.H.L.” That prescient investment is paying off.

“S.H.L.” stands for Lin Shuhao, Lin’s Chinese name, according to China Daily. Now Yu can use the trademark on sportswear, accessories, balls, and toys all the way up through August 2021.

Yu had some offers from others to buy the trademark even before Lin’s recent rise to stardom, but didn’t want to sell.

"Registering a trademark based on a potential celebrity is like gambling, but it's a legitimate commercial activity and does not violate trademark law or intellectual property rights," said Liu Chuntian, director of the Intellectual Property Institute of Renmin University of China, China Daily reports. "Yu Minjie is neither profiting at other people's expense nor gaining extra advantage by unfair means.”

Meanwhile, back in the States, Lin has filed an application for the “Linsanity” trademark, according to Bloomberg. The site notes that two other entities have already filed applications for the trademark by three different individuals hoping to cash in on Lin’s hard work.

While Adidas, as official NBA merchandise manufacturer, is rushing Lin jerseys for China, Nike is hoping to tap into "Linsanity" too. Nike's brand president, Charles Denson, tells the Wall Street Journal below about opportunities the sports retailer sees with the N.Y. Knicks' newest star, and if we'll see a Jeremy Lin signature shoe.