From Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily (subscription log-in required)…
DC Comics Forces NBA To Scrap Plans For Krypto-Nate T-Shirts
Nate Robinson and his Krypto-Nate alter-ego have become such a phenomenon, DC Comics, the originator of Superman, wants a piece of the action, The Post has learned.Two days after the 5-7½ Robinson spectacularly won the Slam-Dunk competition during All-Star weekend, the NBA announced plans to release a green Krypto-Nate T-shirt for sale at the NBA Store and NBA.com.
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One day later, the NBA scrapped its plan because of intellectual property issues with DC Comics, the originator of the Superman comic books. DC Comics’ offices are located on Broadway, near the NBA Store.Robinson’s Krypto-Nate scheme – designed to topple a red-caped Dwight Howard and his Superman shtick – was too close to home for DC Comics. Kryptonite is the green emerald crystal found on the fictional planet Krypton that weakens Superman. The NBA is now looking to involve DC Comics in future Krypto-Nate endeavors, according to a league source.
“The NBA decided not to release the Krypto-Nate T-shirt because of future initiatives we are working on with Warner/DC Comics,” an NBA source told The Post.
The NBA instead released a generic Robinson T-shirt containing only Robinson’s name and status as the 2006 and 2009 Slam-Dunk champion. The NBA also has made Robinson’s green Spalding ball he used on his leap over Howard available for auction on its Web site.
Austin Trunick, publicity coordinator of DC Comics, wrote in an e-mail, “We’re going to decline participation in this story.” Robinson said he and Howard are planning to do commercials together with the Krypto-Nate/Superman theme. It’s unknown if DC Comics will be involved.
It has been a whirlwind three weeks for Robinson, a firestorm February upping his market value as a free agent July 1. With Robinson now a legitimate candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, Donnie Walsh, whose club is off till Wednesday vs. Atlanta, has more to contemplate, with the balancing act of keeping open 2010 cap space for LeBron James and another star.
Before this surge, Robinson was viewed as a mid-level exception guy ($5.9M per). If David Lee asks for $10M per, Robinson’s agents, Aaron and Eric Goodwin, may be looking for a payday not too far off.
“All I know is Seattle and here,” Robinson said. “This is where I want to be.”
Robinson’s fabulous February began in Los Angeles right before the All-Star break, when started at point guard for injured Chris Duhon. Robinson scored 33 points, 15 assists, 5 steals and 9 rebounds. It was the first time in 40 years a Knick had scored 30-plus points and had 15 assists – last done by Walt Frazier Feb. 18, 1969.
Robinson then leapt over Howard in Phoenix as Krypto-Nate and came surging out of the break with a series of dazzling performances, a spot on the Letterman Show, and funny interaction with actor Will Ferrell, his idol, sitting on celebrity row. Robinson has averaged 28 points in the last eight games.
According to a source, the Kings, Lakers and Oklahoma City made plays for Robinson at the trade deadline. “I don’t care honestly,” Robinson said of postseason honors. “Making the playoffs is way more important than Sixth Man.”
Special thanks to Newsarama’s Jamie Trecker!
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Surely this is a case of money being left behind. Or would a quickie deal for the one shirt design queer a larger deal they’re working on?
I will lay odds that whatever happened here to keep this from happening, lawyers were invovled. W-B Lawyers.
Wasn’t there some other sports gentleman they were calling Flash for a while? Using the logo and everything?
I can only IMAGINE how much money Marvel made off of Hulk Hogan.
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:36 pm
When Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were on the L.A. Lakers together, they were kind of known as “Batman and Superman,” respectively. When Shaq left and joined the Miami Heat, Dwyane (yes I spelled is first name correctly) Wade was billed as “The Flash” to Shaq’s Man of Steel, and I think they actually did some sort of marketing that tied Wade and the Flash together.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
A few weeks ago when Dwayne Wade had an injury just under his eye he wore band-aids that said “Flash” and had the flash logo. After he was healed he kept wearing it until the NBA, in an NFL like move, told him to stop.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
Of course the NBA and DC Comics would make this easy mass multi marketing ploy harder than it is…it what I’d expect from 2 entities that have made a living on the thought ‘if we didn’t come up with it first, it isn’t a good idea’…Morons…both organizations…
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
When Ahman Green played for the Packers (not sure if he’s still playing or not) he had little Batman bats on his shoes. I think he also has a Batman tattoo. I saw a plaque honoring some big season he had once, and it had “BATMAN” written across the bottom in one of the same fonts that DC used on the cover of Batman comics in the 90s sometime.
March 3rd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
All of these stories are examples of things that should be applauded and played up. The problem is that each side extrapoliates out to a point they the other guy is making money off of their part, and hits the brakes.
If a basketball star is a fan of Superman and gets an “S” tattoo, that’s great – DC can ride a bit of coattails and maybe attract a reader or two. But the NBA lawyers (it’s always the lawyers) sees it as unauthorized publicity with one of their players, and says stop. Or the guy with the Flash band-aids – the lawyers assume DC will want money for use of the logo, or are afraid it might be seen as a plug, or any other such craziness.
We’ve gotten so good at predicting what’s going to happen, we don’t actually DO as much anymore, since we already know how it’s going to go.
March 3rd, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Figures. The Knicks finally have something to be proud of after so many years and the damn lawyers are blocking it.
July 31st, 2011 at 2:48 am
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