Odell Beckham Jr. is pursuing Nike legally! He alleges that the athletic-wear company prevented sneaker sales that may have led to a contract renewal. As a result, according to Odell, Nike kept more than $20 million out of his pockets! According to TMZ Sports, Odell’s lawyer Daniel Davillier filed a lawsuit against Nike to recover his client’s purported coins.
According to the lawsuit, when his contract with Nike was about to expire, Odell thought about moving athletic retailers to Adidas. According to Complex, OBJ initially agreed to a $45 million, three-year contract with Nike in 2014.
Adidas reportedly offered a contract in 2017 with guaranteed extensions for up to $47 million. Adidas additionally provided a down payment, a base income of $3.2 to $4.2 million year, guaranteed royalties, and a guaranteed extension.
Odell Beckham was reportedly the first NFL player to be designated a Brand Icon after Nike decided to match Adidas’ offer rather than lose him.
However, Odell Beckham Jr. says the fine print in Nike’s offer differs from what Adidas offered. He says the structure of Nike’s contract made it “impossible to trigger very valuable extensions of the deal,” per TMZ. Odell released a statement addressing the suit.
“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. When Nike exercised its right of first refusal to match the Adidas offer and not only kept me as a Nike Athlete but also make me one of their Brand Icons–my dream had been fulfilled,” OBJ said. “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.”
OBJ claims the relationship with Nike started crumbling in March 2022 after the shoewear company shorted his check. Instead of paying OBJ the $2.6 million he expected, the retailer allegedly held $2 million of the funds without any warning.
Odell Beckham says he later learned that Nike withheld the money because he violated his contract by altering his footwear and gloves last season. However, the Los Angeles Rams’ player insists he was forced to customize his Nike cleats because the retailer didn’t provide him with shoes that matched the colors of his new team.
He added that he always customizes his gloves to maintain his “high fashion brand” look and that Nike hasn’t objected in the past. In his statement, Odell said he’s “taking a stand” for himself and to “set a precedent for all athletes who have dedicated their life to the sport they love.”