Odell Beckham Jr.’s post on Instagram Thursday evening declared that “JUSTICE WAS SERVED!!!” in his $20 million breach of contract case against Nike, which implied the Miami Dolphins wide receiver had scored a big legal win against the footwear giant.
It turns out Beckham did “win,” in a sense, but he also lost and netted $0. The jury determined both sides won as defendants but came up short as plaintiffs. The net result: a draw.
As reported by the Portland Business Journal, a Multnomah County (Ore.) Circuit Court jury Thursday found that neither Beckham nor Nike were in breach of contract in a case where both have sued the other. Neither is ordered to pay the other any money.
Beckham, 31, sued Nike in 2022 alleging the company had refused to pay what he described as contractually owed compensation and guaranteed royalties in an endorsement contract. The contractual dispute stemmed from Nike matching an offer by rival Adidas to land Beckham as an athlete in 2017 and conflicting interpretations about an extension letter’s use of earned royalties as a key term rather than net sales. The value and length of the deal hinged on different benchmarks but could have run as long as eight years and more than $40 million.
Nike countersued Beckham several months after his lawsuit, alleging he had customized his apparel and footwear in ways that breached contractual duties. As Nike saw it, Beckham committed a $1.15 million “footwear violation” and an $862,000 “glove violation.” Beckham’s contract with Nike prohibited him from “polishing out, spatting, taping over or otherwise covering or concealing the Nike marks on . . . football shoes in any manner” and “from wearing non-Nike gloves, or otherwise covering or concealing the Nike Marks on . .. Nike football gloves.” Nike allegedly let Beckham play several games in violation of obligations before it imposed a penalty.
Some of Beckham’s claims were dismissed earlier in the litigation, and he is appealing, but the jury reviewed his assertion that is owed $862,000 for royalties withheld and Nike’s claims against Beckham.
While Beckham described the jury’s decision as proving one should “STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN!” and mocked Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan by writing “JUST DO … RIGHT @Nike,” Nike more simply said the outcome shows Beckham’s claims “have been decided against him without any monetary award” and that “Nike complied with its commitments.”
Both sides can appeal.
