Canadian Yoga Studio Claims Big Baller Brand Stole Its Logo for Melo Ball 1s (Pics)

Hana Engel, owner of Ottawa yoga studio Modern Body, told CTV Ottawa that her “jaw dropped” when she first saw Big Baller Brand’s new Melo Ball 1 sneaker, which is named after 16 year old LaMelo Ball. Right there on the tongue was a logo she claims is nearly identical to Modern Body’s logo. Now Engel is determined to take Big Baller Brand to court to protect her logo, which is copyrighted in Canada but still awaiting approval in the United States.

“I don’t want it to be, ‘oh she’s a little yoga studio in Ottawa, Canada, who cares we can get away with this,’” Engel said. “It’s my logo and I protected it for a reason.”

Engel had her copyright lawyer send a letter to Big Baller Brand warning, “Any use of the Big Baller Mark in Canada by your client will be considered an infringement of our client’s exclusive trademark rights.” The letter gives them until September 29 to respond.

For comparison, here is the Mind Body logo:

And here is the Melo Ball 1 logo:

The two are obviously similar in that they combine the M and the B. However, the Melo Ball 1 also turns the vertical line in the middle into a 1, which is a pretty significant and distinctive variation.

I’m no expert in copyright law, but if I was LaVar Ball I’d probably be way more worried about actually selling $400 sneakers than this lawsuit. But you never know.

Stay tuned.

Article Appeared @http://www.totalprosports.com/2017/09/20/canadian-yoga-studio-claims-big-baller-brand-stole-its-logo-melo-ball-1s-pictures/