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| Bratz loses battle of the dolls | Bratz loses battle of the dolls |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Bratz dolls are facing removal from all shops after a US federal court banned parent company MGA Entertainment from making the Barbie-rival. | Bratz dolls are facing removal from all shops after a US federal court banned parent company MGA Entertainment from making the Barbie-rival. |
| The court issued the order after Barbie-maker Mattel won a landmark copyright-infringement case against MGA in August. | |
| Bratz designer Carter Bryant had been found guilty of developing the Bratz brand while still working for Mattel. | Bratz designer Carter Bryant had been found guilty of developing the Bratz brand while still working for Mattel. |
| MGA has appealed the ruling, which severely undermines its business model. | MGA has appealed the ruling, which severely undermines its business model. |
| A federal judge in California banned MGA from selling and making all 40 multi-ethnic dolls in the Bratz line. | A federal judge in California banned MGA from selling and making all 40 multi-ethnic dolls in the Bratz line. |
| But it allowed the company to wait until after Christmas to begin removing dolls from the shelves. | But it allowed the company to wait until after Christmas to begin removing dolls from the shelves. |
| 'Dire scenario' | 'Dire scenario' |
| The ruling "underscores that MGA should not be allowed to profit from its wrongdoing", said Mattel, the world's biggest toymaker, | The ruling "underscores that MGA should not be allowed to profit from its wrongdoing", said Mattel, the world's biggest toymaker, |
| Mattel was awarded up to $100m (£68m) in August, in the ruling of the initial copyright infringement case. | Mattel was awarded up to $100m (£68m) in August, in the ruling of the initial copyright infringement case. |
| "In the most dire scenario, MGA can't sell Bratz at all and a humongous chunk of their business disappears," said Sean McGowan, analyst at Needham & Co. | "In the most dire scenario, MGA can't sell Bratz at all and a humongous chunk of their business disappears," said Sean McGowan, analyst at Needham & Co. |
| "But it's likely they will work out a way for MGA to stay in business and Mattel to profit," he added. | "But it's likely they will work out a way for MGA to stay in business and Mattel to profit," he added. |
| The Bratz brand has been blamed for falls in Barbie sales since being first sold in 2001. | The Bratz brand has been blamed for falls in Barbie sales since being first sold in 2001. |