I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
“My Adidas Nightmare”

H. Louis Baldwin, Jr. is the small business owner of Mad Hops Ltd., a vertical leap exercise program and basketball apparel company. Baldwin is also the owner of the Federal Trademark of Mad Hops and its website, http://www.MADHOPS.com.

These days Baldwin is hoppin' mad which he expresses in a lawsuit filed against Adidas on November 29, 2000 in Franklin County Ohio. Charges by Mad Hops. Ltd. against Adidas includes federal and state trademark infringement and dilution.

Apparently Adidas manufactured and promoted a basketball shoe named “Mad Hops” last summer. The Adidas “Mad Hops” was featured in well- known sports mags such as “SLAM”, the one Baldwin himself spotted it in…..OUCH!

This was clearly an infringement on Baldwin's trademark rights. A cease and desist letter was immediately sent to Adidas.

Prior to Adidas finding itself involved in a lawsuit, claims of trademark violation to Mad Hops, Ltd. was denied. In spite of Adidas’ stand, Adidas was willing to “entertain” an offer from Mad Hops, Ltd. so a $1.5 million figure was bounced onto the court by Mad Hops, Ltd.. Adidas replied with yet another letter claiming that it would agree to settle the matter amicably between both parties. A time frame (approximately two weeks) for resolving the matter was agreed upon by both parties. Right before the deadline rolled out of bounds Adidas slapped Mad Hops, Ltd. with an injunction order to stop them from filing suit. The order was filed in the state of Oregon (the home of Adidas’
American Headquarters).

Adidas failed in its attempt to intercept Mad Hops, Ltd.’s actions when in February 2001 Cupid shot his arrow delivering a case dismissal to Adidas, which put the ball back in Mad Hops, Ltd.’s court. Soon after, the shoe design in question was removed from retailer’s shelves.Just when Baldwin thought it was safe to go back into the water, once again he’s bitten by Adidas. There the shoe sat on a promo pedestal in a well-known discount retail department store. Adidas’ use of the name “Mad Hops” could hurt Mad Hops Ltd.’s ability to market shoes as part of it’s lineup of Mad Hops apparel (that sentence alone confused you enough to want an instant replay, huh). Just imagine how confusing this might be to the consumer.

Adidas has had years to establish its name while Mad Hops Ltd. is only three years old. A consumer might mistake Mad Hops Ltd. as the copycat in this ordeal. Nonetheless, Mad Hops Ltd., continues its battle anticipating Adidas to foul out soon.

Joylynn Jossel
Author of “Please Tell Me If The Grass Is Greener”

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