Adidas vs Nike Infringement Lawsuit: Fighting Over Apps & Sneakers

So, the year 2022 is the year for all the best sneaker drama with lawsuits flying all over the place. Sneaker brands keep finding themselves in the worst situations. This includes the latest Adidas VS Nike copyright infringement lawsuit! Bring back the age-old sneaker debate with yet another checks over stripes episode!

The giants of the sneaker industry are back at it, going head to head in court in a legal battle. In a nutshell, Adidas is accusing Nike of several copyright infringements over apps and sneaker technology. And, although Nike has been dishing out the lawsuits recently (Nike VS StockX), it’s the other way around this time. But, Nike’s definitely not a stranger to the courtroom. 

The Swoosh has been involved in countless lawsuits over the years including one featuring Satan shoes! However, this one might just be the biggest and juiciest one yet! So, keep reading to find out more!

ADIDAS VS NIKE 

The Adidas VS Nike lawsuit is a copyright infringement lawsuit which means making an unauthorized copy of a product. Now, that’s a bit ironic coming from Adidas who is also in the middle of a feud with Kanye West. The previous sneaker collaborating partner with Nike! The Three Stripes literally went on to launch a fake OFFICIAL Yeezy Slide and call it their own. The Adilette 22 is the legit fraternal twin of the famous Yeezy Slides we’ve all come to love!

So, this sounds a bit hypocritical from the Three Stripes. They’re even rumored to be working on their very own Adidas Foam Runner as well… talk about infringement! Technically speaking, it isn’t an actual infringement since it’s a two-way partnership. But, they’ve definitely gotten Kanye pretty mad!

Courtroom Talk

The Adidas VS Nike lawsuit began when Adidas filed their claims on June 10, 2022, in a Texas District Court. They claimed that Nike infringed on nine Adidas patents that started with the Nike SNKRS App. It also includes the Nike Run Club and the Nike Training Club – aka, athletic technology. 

Adidas launched their Adidas CONFIRMED App back in 2015, and Nike launched their SNKRS App soon after. Both apps basically do the same thing with exclusive access to sneaker releases and brands.

“Adidas has long been a leader in mobile technology, including technology related to mobile fitness and mobile purchases,” Adidas claims in the suit. “Adidas was the first in the industry to comprehensively bring data analytics to athletes.”

And, Adidas is also going after Nike’s Adapt technology claiming that they were behind the initial sneaker technology. The Three Stripes claims that Nike infringed upon their Adidas_1 from the year 2005. Adidas claims that their sneaker was the first shoe EVER to have such refined sneaker technology.

Copping Compensation

So, what do the Three Stripes want out of the Adidas vs Nike lawsuit? Well, Adidas has demanded financial recompense in a statement that says: “damages in an amount sufficient to compensate Adidas for defendant’s infringement of the Patents-in-Suit, but not less than a reasonable royalty, together with interests and costs.”

They also want a permanent injunction against Nike to prevent them from further infringing on Adidas’ patents. Petty much? 

NIKE VS ADIDAS VS THE WORLD

It might seem that the Adidas VS Nike lawsuit might seem over the top and exaggerated. But, back in December 2021, Nike tried to ban the import of Adidas’s Primeknit material. And, they accused Adidas of copying designs – specifically the FlyKnit patents. Nike asked the International Trade Commission to block Adidas’s imports. They also filed a patent-infringement suit in federal court in Oregon making similar allegations.

Nike said it was “forced to bring this action to defend its investments in innovation to protect its technology by halting Adidas’ unauthorized use.”

The Nike VS Adidas is not the only lawsuit the brands have been involved in. Nike accused Lululemon Athletica Inc. of patent infringement of their Mirror fitness device in January. In 2014, Adidas sued Under Armour over their Map My Fitness app and eventually forced Under Armour to pay fees. So, basically, it’s all about throwing lawsuits in the air! keep it locked on our blog to find out more updates on the lawsuit!