Last week, Alabama released the debut of its new web series "Shop Talk." I wrote afterward that it's the Tide's newest recruiting machine that should strike fear in the heart of its rivals.
Turns out the SEC West isn't the only group that finds "Shop Talk" threatening.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, LeBron James's company has sent a letter to Alabama accusing the Tide of copyright infringement and intellectual property appropriation. LeBron and his company -- Uninterrupted -- also produce a show that's set in a barbershop and features free-wheeling conversation. Theirs is called "The Shop."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duhXZ0AcqqQ
From the letter:
"Your continued exploitation of 'Shop Talk' infringes 'Uninterrupted's' copyright, trademark rights and other valuable intellectual property rights in 'The Shop' and significantly damages 'Uninterrupted's' commercial prospects for 'The Shop.'"
However, ESPN notes that the letter says LeBron Inc.'s lawyers want to hold a conversation before "rushing into legal proceedings."
I'm no lawyer, but this seems a bit like ABC suing NBC because both networks have a show featuring abnormally hot doctors doing abnormally hot doctor things.