Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 11:48 pm
Nike has already hit back. On March 16, it filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, saying Rentmeester’s complaint is “meritless” and fails to meet the standard for infringement. “Simply put, Rentmeester does not have a monopoly on Mr. Jordan, his appearance, his athletic prowess, or images of him dunking a basketball,” Nike testily added in its filing.
Sneakers with knit uppers
In 2012, both Nike and Adidas introduced their first knitted running shoes. Each had been developing its version for years, but Nike Adidas Superstar Mens patented its technology and beat Nike Air Max 95 Womens Adidas to market, putting out its Flyknit sneakers in February of that year. Adidas’s Primeknits followed in July.
It wasn’t long before Nike accused Adidas of infringing on the patent it held for its high-tech, woven, one-piece uppers, which it saw as a “game-changer” in the industry and a symbol of its innovation as a brand. (Quartz has reached out to Adidas for comment and will update with any response.)
After court battles in Germany, which Nike eventually lost, the case quickly moved over to the US. Adidas filed a petition in the US Patent and Trademark Office to invalidate Nike’s patent for “footwear having a textile upper.” It made the same argument that it had used in Europe: Nike was trying to patent technology that already existed and therefore could not be patented. The court ultimately Nike Free 5.0 Damen sided with Adidas.
Nike hasn’t Adidas Zx Flux Damen given up the fight, however, and in December filed an appeal claiming its patent is, in fact, valid. If Nike prevails, it would be a blow to Adidas, whose visibility in the US is already shrinking—it continues to lose market share, for instance, and won’t bid to renew its NBA sponsorship contract when that deal is up.
Sneakers with knit uppers
In 2012, both Nike and Adidas introduced their first knitted running shoes. Each had been developing its version for years, but Nike Adidas Superstar Mens patented its technology and beat Nike Air Max 95 Womens Adidas to market, putting out its Flyknit sneakers in February of that year. Adidas’s Primeknits followed in July.
It wasn’t long before Nike accused Adidas of infringing on the patent it held for its high-tech, woven, one-piece uppers, which it saw as a “game-changer” in the industry and a symbol of its innovation as a brand. (Quartz has reached out to Adidas for comment and will update with any response.)
After court battles in Germany, which Nike eventually lost, the case quickly moved over to the US. Adidas filed a petition in the US Patent and Trademark Office to invalidate Nike’s patent for “footwear having a textile upper.” It made the same argument that it had used in Europe: Nike was trying to patent technology that already existed and therefore could not be patented. The court ultimately Nike Free 5.0 Damen sided with Adidas.
Nike hasn’t Adidas Zx Flux Damen given up the fight, however, and in December filed an appeal claiming its patent is, in fact, valid. If Nike prevails, it would be a blow to Adidas, whose visibility in the US is already shrinking—it continues to lose market share, for instance, and won’t bid to renew its NBA sponsorship contract when that deal is up.