Odell Beckham Jr. Sues Nikes, Claims Brand Owes Him Over $20 Million
Nov. 14 2022, Published 10:30 p.m. ET
Football star Odell Beckham Jr. has sued Nike, claiming the brand intentionally suppressed sales to avoid extending his contract, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Beckham, 30, filed the lawsuit against the athletic company for millions he said are owed after he attempted to leave the brand for Adidas in 2017.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Beckham alleged that after being approached by Adidas towards the end of his contract in 2017, Nike made a move to keep the professional athlete on its celebrity roster, which was within the brand's rights.
The lawsuit claimed that while Nike agreed to match Adidas' deal, the brand updated the fine print, which did not honor the original contract — and cost him around $20 million. The NFL star alleged that Nike's restructuring of the deal left the contract with little possibility to trigger a valuable extension.
In March 2022, Beckham alleged he was due around $2.6 million from Nike but received far less after the company allegedly withheld more than $2 million without any warning.
Beckham later learned that Nike accused the athlete of violating shoe and glove commitments when he altered his equipment at the end of the season and issued a statement on the alleged violations.
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Beckham denied violating any equipment commitment and stated that he was forced to alter his cleats due to Nike refusing to send him updated versions reflecting his new team's colors.
As for violations against his gloves, Beckham said that he always customizes his gloves to meet his "high fashion brand" standards — and that Nike never had an issue with him doing so before 2022.
Beckham released a statement on his decision to file a lawsuit against the major brand.
"Being a Nike Athlete and Brand Icon was a dream I’ve had since being a young boy. I wanted to be the next Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant in the Nike Family," Beckham said on Monday.
"When Nike exercised its right of first refusal to match the Adidas offer and not only kept me as a Nike Athlete, but also made me one of their Brand Icons – my dream had been fulfilled," the athlete continued.
"Unfortunately, Nike did not honor its commitments. Throughout our partnership, I have kept my promise and fulfilled my obligations to the brand. I am extremely disappointed that I’ve had to take these measures to ensure Nike fulfills their obligations and promises."
Beckham alleged that Nike manufactured the equipment sanctions as a form of pressuring him into signing a less lucrative deal with the brand.
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