Michael Jordan wins $8.9 million lawsuit against grocery store

Michael Jordan will be awarded $8.9 million for the unauthorized use of his name in a 2009 grocery store ad.

The verdict announced on Friday night will require Safeway, who owned the now-defunct grocery store chain called Dominick's, to pay Jordan after a six-year legal battle. Safeway's lawyers argued that they should pay $126,900 for the use of his name, but a sports economist testified that the fair market value for the advertisement would be $10 million, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.

Jordan says he's planning to donate the money to charity and fought the case for the legal ramifications of someone illegally using an identity. Dominick's was a Chicago-based company and the ruling was decided in Chicago courts, where Jordan spent most of his NBA career.

The ad, which was placed in a 2009 Sports Illustrated magazine, was a complete failure for the store. Because it was a commemorative issue, readers were hesitant to tear out the $2 steak coupons and only two were redeemed.