Nike Adidas dresses up for football star Zheng Zhi

Is it a wall or an unreasonable one?

Zheng Zhi, a football star, signed a contract with Nike and became a Nike sponsor player. A few years later, Zheng Zhi transformed himself into Adidas's arms and put on Adidas's costume during the game, which was like a brand spokesperson for Adidas. Nike believes that Zheng Zhi is the master of the incident. This infringes the Nike company's economic interests. He filed a lawsuit against Adidas and Zheng Zhi to the court and claims an economic loss of 8 million yuan. Yesterday, Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court held a hearing to hear the case.

Nike's Exclusive Sponsorship Midway Change

In order to increase its brand awareness in China, Nike signed a sponsorship contract with Shandong Luneng Taishan (5.88, -0.08, -1.34, bar) Zheng Zhi in July 2003 for a period of validity until the end of 2007. The contract requires Zheng Zhi to wear Nike brand products as much as possible in all public places and attend Nike’s commercial promotion activities. As an exclusive sponsor, Nike also asked Zheng Zhi not to attend other brands of commercial promotional activities, and can not wear other sports brand clothing.

According to the contract, in October 2003, Nike paid Zheng Zhi the first "personal bonus" of 110,000 yuan. In 2004, Nike remitted a total of RMB 760,000 to Zheng Zhi. Nike’s high payments have naturally been rewarded by Zheng Zhi’s high returns. Whether in the sports arena or in Nike's commercial activities, Zheng Zhidu was dressed in Nike's clothing and sneakers according to the contract. Even if the national team’s clothing sponsor is Adidas, all the players on the court are required to wear Adidas branded clothing and shoes. “As an athlete signed by Nike, Zheng Zhi consciously covered the Adidas trademark with a white tape. "Nike said that after the signing contract, Zheng Zhi very seriously performed the contract.

According to Nike, in August 2004, Zheng Zhi suddenly asked Nike to amend the terms of the contract and requested to increase the compensation, but was rejected. In March 2005, Zheng Zhiguang ran to the Asian Football Club Champions League in Shandong Luneng Taishan Football Club. Zheng Zhiguang was running in the green field with Adidas shoes. Shortly after the competition, Zheng Zhi sent a written notice to Nike to terminate the "sponsorship contract." At the same time, he was wearing adidas shoes and clothing in Shanghai's Xujiahui, Beijing and other places to publicly participate in adidas' corporate promotional activities. In May 2006, the online media published an adidas company statement, publicly claiming that Zheng Zhi has become its "exclusive player." Nike called the signing of Adidas and Zheng Zhi as an "embedded foot."

Is Zheng Zhichang signing free?

Adidas denied the claim to Nike. Adidas said in court that Zheng Zhi issued a termination letter to Nike to terminate the contract in March 2005. This is not wrong. After that, Zheng Zhi is no longer a Nike sponsor player. In this case, Adidas signed a contract with Zheng Zhi, and it was not inappropriate. Because at the time of signing, Zheng Zhi made it clear that he was "free." And Zheng Zhi as a member of the national team, assigned by the Chinese Football Association to participate in related activities, it is also reasonable things.

"Zheng Zhi as a member of the national team, has strict requirements for clothing." Zheng Zhi's attorney said, "Zheng Zhi never wear the wrong clothes." The lawyer said that because Nike has repeatedly delayed payment, Zheng Zhi had to According to the terms of the sponsorship agreement, a letter of termination was sent to Nike and the parties unilaterally proposed to terminate the contract. After resuming "freedom", he signed Adidas again. This behavior is in accordance with the law.

It is understood that the disputes between Nike and Adidas, the two major international sporting goods and national team Zheng Zhi, which were caused by the sponsorship agreement, were tried in Chaoyang District Court in Beijing. Eventually, Nike automatically withdrew due to lack of evidence. The Nike re-indicted in the Shanghai court, Adidas believes that this is entirely Nike's "improper". Zheng Zhiyi also said that the contract he signed with Adidas was effective and did not infringe Nike's rights. He will continue to perform the contract.

The court will go to court to continue the trial.