Odell Beckham, Jr. sues Nike and is reportedly suing for $20 million in damages.
Back in 2017, Nike decided to exercise its first right of refusal and match an offer Beckham received from Adidas. The Adidas deal he was offered, Beckham Jr. said, was worth up to $47 million. Beckham said he was due a payment of about $2.6 million in March.
Nike reportedly withheld more than $2 million of that payment over alleged custom gloves and footwear violations during last season when he was with the Los Angeles Rams. Beckham said he was not violating the policy, instead blaming Nike for not giving him cleats for his new team after he moved from the Browns to the Rams, which meant he had to customize his cleats for games. OBJ further stated that he has always worn customized gloves and that it had never been an issue for Nike.
Beckham made the following statement “Today, I’m taking a stand not just for me, but to set a precedent for all athletes who have dedicated their life to the sport they love – especially those who don’t have the means to stand up for themselves,” he said. “We are held responsible for fulfilling our obligations under our contracts, but we also have to hold powerful companies like Nike accountable for honoring their commitments too.” I look forward to resolving this issue and hope we can start a real conversation about protecting athletes and their rights. This happens too often in the sports industry and it’s time for change.”
Beckham’s new contract with Nike, signed in 2017, would pay him $3.25 million initially, with the deal progressing up to $3.75 million in 2021-22. In addition to the cash compensations, he would be guaranteed royalties starting at $1.4 million and ranging up to as much as $2.225 million.
