"JUSTICE WAS SERVED!!!" - Dolphins' Odell Beckham Jr. declares victory against Nike in $20,000,000 lawsuit
As per NFL Insider Dov Kleiman, Nike owed Odell Beckham Jr. $20,000,000 in guaranteed royalties. Last November, the wide receiver filed a lawsuit against the sports brand, alleging that it intentionally suppressed sales to avoid extending his contract. He is now celebrating a win in his legal battle against Nike. On July 18, the NFL star shared a picture on Instagram alongside his legal representatives, with the caption:
"JUST DO……RIGHT @nike. I wanna take this moment to thank God first and foremost thank you Heavenly Father. I wanna thank my team for every hour they have spent preparing on this case. I wanna thank the jury for simply doing what’s right in a world full of wrong… my message to whoever needs this is, STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN! JUSTICE WAS SERVED!!! "
The Miami Dolphins pass catcher seems pleased with the result and can now put the case behind him for good.
Inside Odell Beckham Jr.'s court case against Nike
According to Sportico, Odell Beckham Jr. sued Nike in 2022, alleging that the company refused to pay "contractually owed compensation and guaranteed royalties in an endorsement contract."
The dispute arose from a 2017 bidding war between Adidas and Nike for Beckham Jr. He signed with Nike. At the time, the deal was reported to have the potential to last for eight years and earn the NFL star more than $40 million. Beckham Jr.'s legal team and Nike had conflicting interpretations of using earned royalties as a key term rather than net sales in his contract.
Nike countersued Beckham Jr. a few months after his lawsuit, alleging that the perennial Pro Bowler customized his apparel and footwear in ways that breached contractual duties. Their lawsuit alleged that Beckham Jr.'s contract stopped him from:
"Polishing out, spatting, taping over or otherwise covering or concealing the Nike marks on football cleats in any manner and from wearing non-Nike gloves, or otherwise covering or concealing the Nike Marks on Nike football gloves."
A report by Portland Business Journal stated that the Circuit Court jury found that neither Beckham Jr. nor Nike were in breach of contract in a case where both sued each other. Hence, neither is ordered to pay the other any money. The jury held that both parties won as defendants but lost as plaintiffs. Therefore, neither is required to pay the other any money.
In essence, Odell Beckham Jr.'s Instagram post isn't misleading. However, Nike isn't paying any money; it will merely comply with its commitments.