Odell Beckham Jr. files a colossal $20 million lawsuit against Nike for contract violations
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Odell Beckham Jr. (Image via CBS Sports)
Odell Beckham Jr. is a talented WR currently out searching for a club. The former Rams athlete was let go by the team due to an ACL injury he suffered last season. OBJ has almost recovered from his injury as there are numerous clubs interested in signing the 30-year-old. While OBJ has been in news recently due to fans’ eagerness to see new beginnings for this superstar WR, there’s a recent development around him that marks an end to one of his associations.
OBJ had signed a contract extension with Nike in 2017, as his old deal had expired. The WR had always loved the athletic sportswear brand, as it always had legendary athletes like Michael Jordan and Cristiano Ronaldo under its contract.
Everything was smooth sailing for Odell and Nike till 2022 when their relationship started to turn sour. The company owed around $2.6 million to the WR, although Odell claims that the company withheld the $2 million for various reasons.
OBJ wanted to switch to Adidas in 2017, but the brand value and their tie-up with major athletes led him to sign an extension that he regrets now. “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,” Beckham said in a statement, obtained by TMZ.
The free agent WR has now decided to take the matter to court as he believes that the sportswear brand owes him a lot of money and it’s impossible for him to trigger various parts of the deal.
“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,” Odell said in the statement.
Nike withheld Odell Beckham Jr.’s payment due to equipment violations
Odell Beckham Jr. has always been a class apart in the NFL. The free agent WR is known for his style and charm. However, Nike wasn’t fond of this behavior and decided to hit back at OBJ by withholding around $2 million.
Nike withheld the money because Odell Beckham Jr. allegedly tampered with the equipment and customized it. Though he has good reason to, as the cleats offered by the brand didn’t match, the colors of his team and OBJ’s gloves have always had a personal style of his own.
Many reports suggest that Nike is pressuring OBJ into signing a new, less lucrative deal by withholding his money, but OBJ is having none of it as he has filed a lawsuit against them.
“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. 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.” Odell Beckham Jr. said in his statement.
Odell Beckham Jr. has started an interesting initiative where athletes need to speak up about the violations that the big brands commit, thinking that the athletes won’t do anything about it.
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