Conflicting reports about award in Bratz case
By Staff -- Playthings, 8/26/2008 3:53:00 PM
LOS ANGELES—Mattel is getting something, but a lot less than it wanted in damages related to its case against Bratz doll maker MGA Entertainment.
Conflicting reports about the damages awared Mattel began shortly after they were announced on August 26. According to the Associated Press, a California jury awarded Mattel $40 million in damages. Reuters said the jury awarded the company $100 million.
And last night, Mattel and MGA followed suit with their own conflicting spins on how much MGA will ultimately have to pony up for poaching Bratz's designer away from Mattel while he was still technically under contract to the Barbie maker.
Mattel’s lawyers had been seeking nearly $2 billion in damages.
According to MGA, the jury awarded Mattel $20 million in damages.
"Some media reports have incorrectly reported that Mattel was awarded $100 million," the company said in a press release yesterday. It noted that "the jury made its award pursuant to a variety of legal claims, each based on the 'same damages' theory, and subject to the court's instruction not to be concerned about duplicative damages. MGA pointed out that during the trial Mattel even conceded that the damages it sought were overlapping and duplicative."
Mattel tells a different tale. It said in a statement last night that the jury awarded it $90 million "for MGA's and Larian's wrongs against Mattel" and $10 million for copyright infringement.
Mattel noted that "the court will make the final determination regarding the total of damages that MGA and Larian will pay to Mattel."
