In one of the most laughable lawsuits I’ve come across, rapper Jay-Z is suing Red Sox DH David Ortiz for opening up a club in the Dominican Republic using the same name as Jay-Z’s chain nightclub, 40/40 Club. Apparently there are three branches of the 40/40 Club by Jay-Z — New York, Atlantic City, and Las Vegas, with plans to go international. Are they even allowed to exceed four clubs in good faith or must they wait for Matt Kemp to step his game up first? Anyway, according to the story sent in by contributor Alan Hull, Jay-Z and his business partner are not happy with the Red Sox DH because Ortiz’s Dominican-based club is called Forty/Forty. They feel as if Ortiz is “trading on the fame, value and goodwill of their name.” Considering the lack of originality in David’s choice, their complaint sounds founded to me.
If you ask me, Ortiz was stripped of his cool badge last season when his play dropped off, he was found guilty of using PEDs, and he was no longer able to hit his weight without them. He even lost his nickname “Big Papi” when his production fell off because one has to hit like a Big Papi to wear that nickname. Lastly, what’s a guy with 10 career stolen bases doing naming his club 40/40 anyway? Ortiz better come up with a backup plan now that he’s in court. May I suggest the 4/26 Club? If not, perhaps Club 154?
Sources:
East Coast rivalry: Jay-Z sues David Ortiz over nightclub name [Big League Stew]
