Nick Saban responds as LeBron threatens Alabama football with lawyers
LeBron James started a legal battle with the University of Alabama football program on Monday.
The beef is over the Crimson Tide’s announcement of a video series called “Shop Talk,” which features coach Nick Saban, former Alabama star Julio Jones and other players having an unscripted discussion while in a barbershop.
The Tide tweeted a teaser for “Shop Talk” last week.
??Shop Talk Episode 1 coming soon! #RollTide#BamaCuts pic.twitter.com/QHC1dTjjzh
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) March 27, 2018
James believes the program is too similar to a series he created for his multimedia platform, Uninterrupted, called “The Shop,” which features LeBron and his friends having unscripted discussions while in a barbershop.
Barbershop talk got a facelift when @beatsbydre brought @KingJames and his homies together for UNINTERRUPTED’s #TheShop. ✂️ pic.twitter.com/AtGsKFt2Wu
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) June 9, 2017
James’ company sent a letter to the University of Alabama expressing his concerns.
“‘Shop Talk’ is clearly using the ideas, concepts, and format previously created and exploited by Uninterrupted in connection with its program ‘The Shop,’ and Uninterrupted believes ‘Shop Talk’ infringes the copyright in ‘The Shop,'” wrote Josh Tarnow, head of Uninterrupted’s business and legal affairs, according to Cleveland.com.
Instead of issuing a cease-and-desist letter, however, Tarnow asked the university to let Uninterrupted view the full version of “Shop Talk” and then come up with an amicable resolution to “avoid getting into a ‘battle of legal letters.'”
At a press conference Tuesday, Saban was asked about the letter from Uninterrupted, and the coach indicated he had never even heard of James’ show.
“I think LeBron James is a great player,” Saban said. “There’s been at least 20 barbershop-type things I’ve seen on TV. I didn’t know anybody owned that. I didn’t even know he had one.
“I’m sorry anybody could be offended by something we were just having fun with. I enjoyed it, and we’re going to continue to do it.”
LeBron was asked for his thoughts on Saban’s comments Tuesday night, and he made it clear he is serious about stopping “Shop Talk.”
“From a media perspective, you guys know Nick Saban more than I do, so that’s exactly what I would think he would say,” James said. “But I built Uninterrupted for a reason, for us athletes to have a platform to be able to speak about whatever we want to talk about.
“I respect him as a coach, but I’ll be damned if I allow someone to use our platform or try to do the same thing we’re doing and just think it’s OK.”
LeBron then declared, “The lawyers will figure it out.”
LeBron addresses Alabama's "Shop Talk" and Nick Saban's comments about being unaware of Uninterrupted's "The Shop" series: "The lawyers will figure it out." pic.twitter.com/5Ovx1EAuHN
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) April 4, 2018
While Saban and James sound like they refuse to give in and are headed to court, ESPN reported that legal representatives from Alabama and Uninterrupted “engaged in a dialogue” Tuesday and “both sides expressed an interest in working together.”
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