Odell Beckham Jr. has announced a lawsuit against his sponsor Nike via Twitter. According to his own statement, he is not only fighting for himself, but for the interests of many athletes.

Munich – It is still unclear whether and for which team Odell Beckham Jr. will play in the current NFL season. But the unsigned wide receiver is making headlines off the field. OBJ has announced via Twitter that he will sue his sponsor Nike.

He described it as a “dream” to be a brand icon with Nike. But he said he was “extremely disappointed” by the sporting goods company’s decision not to honour its “commitments and promises. “

OBJ wanted to be the “next Michael Jordan” at Nike

“Being a Nike athlete and brand icon was a dream I had since childhood. I wanted to be the next Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant in the Nike family,” the statement reads.

pic.twitter.com/j2TtKpkXXS

– Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) November 15, 2022

“Unfortunately, Nike has not fulfilled its obligations. Throughout our partnership, I have kept my promise and fulfilled my obligations to the brand. I am extremely disappointed that I had to take these actions to ensure Nike fulfilled its commitments and promises. “

According to a statement of claim published on Twitter, Beckham allegedly tried to switch to Adidas after his original agreement with Nike expired. The offer from Adidas was reportedly worth US$47 million. Previously, OBJ had been offered a three-year, $45 million contract by Nike

Nike then exercised its “contractual right to match the Adidas offer”. According to the lawsuit, however, Nike is now refusing to “honour the deal it agreed to. “

Odell Beckham Jr’s first Nike deal was for $45,000 per year for three years, plus royalties from OBJ products, according to his lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/i3p1isgPbo

– brendandunne (@brendandunne) November 14, 2022

Further, the lawsuit states, “Instead of continuing to pay the compensation and guaranteed royalties it is contractually obligated to pay Mr. Beckham, Nike is intentionally withholding millions of dollars and making excuses not to pay him. “

Beckham demands that companies like Nike “honour their commitments”

Beckham, who won the Super Bowl last season with the Los Angeles Rams, says he is acting in the best interests of many professional athletes. “Today, I am standing up not just for myself, but to set a precedent for all athletes who have dedicated their lives to the sport they love – especially those who don’t have the means to stand up for themselves,” he wrote.

Odell Beckham Jr. says in Nike lawsuit that Adidas offered him a deal with $47 million in guaranteed extensions. pic.twitter.com/eaAKSRpeG2

– brendandunne (@brendandunne) November 14, 2022

“We will be held accountable for meeting our obligations under our contracts, but we must also hold powerful companies like Nike accountable for meeting their obligations. I look forward to resolving this issue and hope that 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. “