It'll cost mucho dinero for Chad Ocho Cinco to switch jerseys

[Rabid since '72]

I don't post much and didn't see it on here already, so I had to share:

It'll cost mucho dinero for Chad Ocho Cinco to switch jerseys
By Chris Chase


Don't expect to see Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco wearing his new name on a jersey anytime soon. CNBC's Darren Rovell reports on his blog that the former Mr. Johnson would be forced to buy out the stock of the 100,000 remaining "C. Johnson" jerseys before making the switch to "Ocho Cinco". If Reebok asked Ocho Cinco to pay for the cost of making the unsold jerseys, the total could reach upwards of $4 million (or $50 million pesos).

Because Johnson changed his name so close to the start of the season, Reebok was left in a bind since they'd have to produce new jerseys and eat the old ones. That's why the NFL has told Johnson he'd have to reimburse the company for the price of the jerseys. That's not unprecedented, rookie linebacker Keith Rivers did it last week when he changed his uniform number. Of course, Rivers didn't have thousands of jerseys with his name on it on sales racks nationwide.

This whole charade, of course, is pretty ridiculous. It's tough to defend Johnson, as he's so narcissistic that he makes T.O. look like Mother Teresa. And the NFL is so blatant in their attempts to block Johnson from donning his new name on the back of his Bengals jersey that it almost seems beneath them. Sure, it's inane and self-serving and could set a bad precedent, but shouldn't the league be focusing on more important issues, like stopping players from celebrating touchdowns?


http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/It-ll-cost-mucho-dinero-for-Chad-Ochocinco-to-sw?urn=nfl,106605

[Southern Steeler]

Are we really surprised that a Bungle screwed something up?

[FAB802]

I saw a player who had one sock at least three inches lower than the other on Sunday. They'll probably dock him a game check.

[Jitter]

I am not a Chad Johnson fan but this is ridiculous. The guy legally changed his name so I dont see how he can be forced to have to use another name on his jersey. I hope that he files a law suit and wins big.

[Southern Steeler]

I am not a Chad Johnson fan but this is ridiculous. The guy legally changed his name so I dont see how he can be forced to have to use another name on his jersey. I hope that he files a law suit and wins big.

Please tell me you're joking.

He's an attention whore who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, in a manner of speaking. I used to find him slightly amusing a few years ago. Now it's past annoying.

I'll bet my mortgage that he gets it legally changed back to Johnson when he's out of football

[SteelrzGirl]

I am not a Chad Johnson fan but this is ridiculous. The guy legally changed his name so I dont see how he can be forced to have to use another name on his jersey. I hope that he files a law suit and wins big.

Why? so that expense to the league can be passed onto the fans who are already having their pockets cleaned by the NFL?

You must be joking.

[FAB802]

He should at least get a discount. Those bitches were headed for the clearance racks and Value City by week six anyways.

[Big Fella]

I would think the Ochocinco jersey would sell a lot anyway. Shit is so goofy that it would likely be quite popular.

Besides, most people wanting the C.Johnson jersey aren't getting it now anyway, seeing as how its not really his name anymore.

Realistically I don't know how Reebok got the NFL to uphold this as part of the agreement.

[TheStoneMan]

I would think the Ochocinco jersey would sell a lot anyway. Shit is so goofy that it would likely be quite popular.
Besides, most people wanting the C.Johnson jersey aren't getting it now anyway, seeing as how its not really his name anymore.

Realistically I don't know how Reebok got the NFL to uphold this as part of the agreement.

your probably right, i'm sure reebok will make a bunch of ocho cinco jerseys , relatively soon, and the C.johnson jerseys will be at marshalls. He's not good at football anymore so he's gonna have to make money somehow.

[markymarc]

I am not a Chad Johnson fan but this is ridiculous. The guy legally changed his name so I dont see how he can be forced to have to use another name on his jersey. I hope that he files a law suit and wins big.

Are you fucking kidding me? Are you sure you're not a CJ fan? Rooting for CJ to file a lawsuit and winning seems pretty ridiculous to me.

[fxr93]

How amusing would it be that he ended up on another team next year and was forced to wear a different number because the player with 85 didn't give it up outta spite.
OH NO STINKO!

[CHam59]

Realistically I don't know how Reebok got the NFL to uphold this as part of the agreement

Actually, it's pretty standard, but it was put into place more to protect Reebok when a player wanted to change his number. Keith Rivers wanted to change his number to what he wore in college when it became available just before the start of the season, but faced the same monetary penalty. Not sure if he went through with it or not, the amount probably wouldn't have been as high as Chad's.

[DaSwitz]

I am not a Chad Johnson fan but this is ridiculous. The guy legally changed his name so I dont see how he can be forced to have to use another name on his jersey. I hope that he files a law suit and wins big.

This is not a new NFL policy or one they selectively pick when to enforce. I believe it's also part of the NFLPA. This one of the obstacles in Ryan Clarks way last year when he wanted to switch his number from 25 to 21 to honor Sean Taylor. He would have been required to buy all stock of his current uniforms.

[Jitter]

nah im not joking. I think he is an attention whore and an idiot, but he was retarded enough to legally change his name so let him use it. By not letting him use it the league is probably creating more attention for him anyways. If Ben changed his last name to Smith I cant picture the league making him buy back all of his old jerseys.

Edit: Well if its a policy then that is different, but is it the same for names and numbers?

[DaSwitz]

Edit: Well if its a policy then that is different, but is it the same for names and numbers?

It's changes to the jersey. They have to make jersey well in advance of the year--especially for Pro Bowl players. The more jersey you sell, the more they make (you know, the whole supply & demand thing.)

Any change to a jersey, name, number, etc causes all the jersey's they made essentially worthless. The policy is the player has to buy that inventory, so that Reebok doesn't take a loss on it.

Maurice Drew-Jones had to do the same thing when he changed his name from "Drew" to "Drew-Jones" (after he changed his name when his grandparent died.)

[thatrain]

He should only have to buy up jerseys that were printed since the cut-off date. The issue isn't that he's changing his name, it's that he changed it after the cut-off date. I'm willing to bet that 70% of the jerseys on the racks are leftover from 05, 06, 07. If he'd have changed it by the cut off date, Reebok would still be on the hook for that stock. That shouldn't change, IMO.

In any case, as people have already pointed out, since announcing his name change everything with his name on the back is already on it's way to Marshalls. It matters very little at this point.

[Max Power]

I am not a Chad Johnson fan but this is ridiculous. The guy legally changed his name so I dont see how he can be forced to have to use another name on his jersey. I hope that he files a law suit and wins big.

That has no bearing on the issue. The NFL and it's licensing agreement hold all legal ownership of this matter. It's thier say so, not his. He changed HIS name before telling the NFL to alter the Jerseys.

The NFL wouldn't have issued that info if they didn't know for sure they were in the right.

[leftcoaststeelerfan]

Oh for the good ol days of "He hate me......"

[edman#1]

He just wants the attention back the TJ WHosyourmamma has taken away from him.