Jay-Z sues Red Sox hitter Big Papi over 40/40 club name

You think a guy who rode the New York Yankees' World Series victory float is going to cut a Boston Red Sox slugger any slack?

Jay-Z and business partner Juan Perez are suing the Red Sox's David Ortiz, a.k.a. "Big Papi," alleging the designated hitter named his Dominican Republic establishment Forty/Forty to take advantage of the popularity and reputation of their exclusive 40/40 chain of sports clubs.

(Inside baseball: The term "40/40 club" refers to the very few players who've clocked 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season. Ortiz is not one of them. There's a "30/30 club" too, but where's the fun in that?)

What do you think -- any chance folks might confuse 40/40 with Forty/Forty? And yes, we do realize that's not the point.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Jay-Z. Credit: Chris Trotman / Getty Images.

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Comments

[Beau]

Boo Hoo Jay-Z. Shouldn't he be busy producing more crappy music.

[Lisa]

On what grounds is he suing Ortiz? The club is in the D.R. - what laws are applicable here? It would be interesting to see the actual complaint.

I find it difficult to believe that visitors to the D.R. would think that the club was associated with Sean Carter's. Or care. Ortiz is the hero there, not Sean Carter.

[big papi]

lame.
get a life jay-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
produce more cRap music.

[kim]

Hov has a point but Ortiz doesn't even have enough money to fit in Jay-z pockets.....it may be pointless

[Ray]

U guys are clearly not too bright. Lol. Why would David ortiz want to name his establishment forty forty if it wasn't for jay-z's establishments? Ortiz isn't a member of that club and never will be, obviously. Also jay-z's 40/40 clubs are in several countries. I'm sure there is a law prodecting against trademark or naming infringements even in global matters. And jay is only protecting his product, his investment. Wouldn't u do the same. Would u work hard to create something and endorse ur product just to let someone use it. It's essentially stealing. And why wouldn't David Ortiz just name his club Big Papi? That's the name he's known for. Again the only thing he's ever stolen is a name (never a base) lol. Smh.

[Cisco]

Well he can change it to 20/20...will ABC sue???

[pancho]

i never heard of forty/forty. you should thank him for bringing it to peoples attention. i know, you think i live under a rock.

[Lisa]

"The term '40/40 club' refers to the very few players who've clocked 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season."

There is just ONE player who has done that: Jose Canseco. If anyone has reason to sue, it's him. Sure, he's an even bigger loser than Jay-Z, but he did nail Madonna. That's something.

[Hugo John Rodrigues]

Its obvious that if jay zee knew anything about the dominican republic, he would know that ortiz in dominican republic doesn't need to be affiliated with jay zee's anything; home grown baseball players have been huge down there since before jay zee's granfather could spell j-z. jay zee need to work on albums the law is not his forte, and anyway is it legal for u to sue a foreign national about a business in a foreign country?