Larry Bird sues owners of former home for name use

Larry Bird filed a lawsuit alleging a couple who bought his former home in southern Indiana are improperly using his name to promote a bed-and-breakfast.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, claims Georgianna Lincoln and Chris Cooke did not have permission to use the NBA Hall of Famer's name with the property and are profiting off his trademark by stating the home belonged to him.

``The commercialization of Larry Bird's name in association with this former property is wholly and completely unauthorized and is blatantly being done for the sole purpose of profiting illegally from Larry Bird's name,'' the lawsuit states.

Cooke, an attorney in Alaska, said Tuesday that negotiations had ended in good faith with a spoken permission to use Bird's name in association with the home.

Continued at My Sportsbook...

[Ruddem]

Do you think that it's right of him to sue the couple? Do you think they are really in the wrong? It seems like one of those situations where it could go either way, I guess the truth will come out sooner or later though.

[Stuart]

Meh, I think that if they didn't have his permission, he should sue them. They are profiting from the use of his name, and that's not right if they weren't given explicit permission.