While the game is played on the field, the fight for legacy can go anywhere. From social media to courthouses, we have seen players fighting to assert their greatness. This time, the Ravens superstar and the dual-threat QB, Lamar Jackson, is taking the battle to another sport. It’s nothing personal. Just pure business!

Back in 2020, the NFL player filed the trademark for “Era 8” and “Era 8 by Lamar Jackson” for his merchandise, which includes shirts, bags, and hats. On April 2, he filed a notice of opposition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office against NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. after his Mooresville-based company, DEJ Holdings, filed for trademark of number 8 for merchandising last year.

While the racer believes he can benefit from his legacy as number 8 when he raced. Lamar Jackson thinks he will lose a portion of his merchandise sales. A statement from the filing read, “(Earnhardt Jr.’s) mark falsely suggests a connection with persons, living or dead, namely, Lamar Jackson, who is well known by the number 8.” Just last year, he earned $2 million in off-field earnings from a soul food restaurant, production company, record label, and his clothing line.

Forbes ranked him at 10th among the highest-paid athletes in the world from May 2023 to May 2024. That’s why he is concerned. For the NASCAR legend, the battle has been going on for decades. He also has a deep connection to the number 8.

Lamar Jackson vs Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Battle for 8

The NASCAR star has been associated with number 8 since the 1990s, when his father owned the company Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI). But once he passed away, the differences cropped up between him and his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt. After 2007, he left DEI and started racing with number 88 at Hendrick Motorsports.

Last year brought a fresh breeze when the trademark rights held by Teresa expired. Surprisingly, she didn’t renew them. So, Earnhardt Jr. started pushing to get the rights, pitting him against Lamar Jackson. There are two ‘8’ numbers. The dispute is about the second one.

They are not disputing the number 8 in the particular font associated with Earnhardt Jr., but the dispute is about another number 8 that is slanted and in a different font. Yet, it looks like the 8 that Jackson has. So, the main point of the argument is that the number might create a false sense of connection among the buyers and investors.

For Jackson, the number 8 holds personal significance, representing resilience and ambition, and is a tribute to his late grandmother. That’s why he trademarked it for his personal brand “Era 8”. His dedication is so strong that he also filed a trademark against Troy Aikman last year in a similar case for Era 8. That’s his dream project. So, the lawsuit will go on.

While both Jackson and Earnhardt Jr. have sentimental connections with the number, time will decide its fate.