Nike, Inc. is reportedly suing a businessman who licenses the words and images of famous deceased people for breach of contract. The Oregonian reports that a Nike representative paid $150,000 to Mark Roesler to use a speech by Hall of Fame NFL coach Vince Lombardi for a TV and Internet commercial, but asked for the money back when it was determined the speech was actually never spoken by Lombardi, but instead was an excerpt from a book written by Lombardis son, Vince Lombardi, Jr., titled What it Takes to be #1.
When Roesler declined to reimburse Nike, the company reportedly filed a lawsuit against Roesler and Lombardis son and daughter last month alleging that Roeslers company, CMG, failed to say that there was never actually a speech containing the message in question, according to The Oregonian. Nike says in the lawsuit that it relied on CMGs receipt of the licensing agreement to support Nikes understanding that the Lombardi voice recording existed.
Nike is reportedly seeking at least $150,000 in the suit.
