Nike files suit against Adidas

**OAR** · February 17th, 2006, 02:43 PM

BEAVERTON, Ore. - Nike Inc. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Adidas-Salomon AG on Thursday, claiming its archrival makes shoes using elements of Nike's SHOX cushioning technology.

Beaverton-based Nike alleges the new Kevin Garnett signature shoe by Adidas and its A3 shoes are among the footwear that violate the Nike patent.

"Despite Nike's patent protection, Adidas has built shoes that use Nike's technology," Nike spokesman Vada Manager said.

Adidas officials at the German company's U.S. headquarters in Portland were not immediately available for comment.

The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Lufkin, Texas, because the court has "expertise in complex intellectual property cases" and can resolve it more quickly, Manager said.

Nike, now the world's largest athletic shoe and clothing manufacturer, began developing the cushioning technology almost 20 years ago when it trailed Reebok International Ltd. as the No. 2 shoe maker.

Adidas, now the No. 2 manufacturer, last month completed its $3.8 billion purchase of Reebok, moving it closer in sales to Nike.

The SHOX technology was introduced in 2000 after the original Nike Air shoe debuted in 1979. Since then, Nike has produced numerous shoes based on the SHOX design.

The latest version finally eliminates foam from the midsole of a shoe that relies on air cushioning in a design first suggested to Nike by aerospace engineer Frank Rudy. The goal was to create a shoe with lighter, more durable cushioning than foam.

During the World Shoe Association Show in Las Vegas last week, Nike served lawsuits on two other companies it claims is infringing on Nike patents "? Air Max Import and Export Inc. and Romeo and Juliette.

**CoeburnCane** · February 17th, 2006, 02:45 PM

The a3 stuff has been out for almost 2 years...why the legal action by Nike now??

**OAR** · February 17th, 2006, 02:48 PM

that is what I was wodnering? As long as the "shox" are not the same, then why such a big dispute? Most shoes today are similar in almost all ways!

**the_alienist** · February 17th, 2006, 03:03 PM

it is yet another way for Nike to get publicity and for them to make more money.

**OAR** · February 17th, 2006, 03:06 PM

I wish I could work for Nike. During their lunch hour, of they want to, they workout at Nike's muilt-million dollar fitness center and get paid like overtime wage for it. You punch in and out on a timecard. Nike makes extra millions of dollars because of this due to the fact that healthier employees do not miss work as much because of illness, they are able to operate more funtionally which increases productinos, hence: MORE MONEY....you'd think they already make enough from sales among other things to bother with filing a lawsuit against Adidas.

**the_alienist** · February 17th, 2006, 03:12 PM

Yeah I hear you. I wish that more companies would start offering incentives for employees to go to the gym. Another reason that Nike could be doing this is that they are hoping that b/c of the lawsuit, consumers will take notice of their product and decided to go and do their own little "survey" of whether the A3 is similar to the Nike Shox. Nike believes that their shoe is a better product than the A3, so it will stand up to the test and the consumer will end up buying the shox. Marketing Genius!
You get to advertise your product and get the consumer to action w/o them feeling as if they were pressured into it. Best form of marketing, subversive, yet it still allows the consumer to feel as if they are in "control" of their purchasing power.

**imported_VTgal** · February 17th, 2006, 03:11 PM

It may have taken a long time to get all the legal stuff together before they could file suit. Also, since the "Shox" are protected under patent, Adidas must be using the same exact technology instead of something just "similar".