Odell Beckham Jr. has filed a lawsuit against Nike, claiming the company has “screwed him out of millions.”
OBJ went public with the following statement regarding the lawsuit:
“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 made me one of their Brand Icons—my dream had been fulfilled. 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.”
He continued:
“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. 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. As this is now a legal matter, please refer any questions to my attorney, Daniel Davillier.”
According to his statement, Odell wanted to move to Adidas after his original deal with Nike expired in 2017 — but the company exercised its right to match the offer…so he stayed.
Since then, Odell claims Nike has been withholding millions of dollars in compensation and royalties.
He also claims that Nike kept just over $2 million of the nearly $2.6 million he was owed in March 2022 — among other things.
The lawsuit is asking for over $20 million in damages. You can read his full statement below.
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) November 15, 2022
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