Adidas moves MRTPC against Nike

NEW DELHI: Sports goods maker Adidas on Friday dragged its rival Nike to the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) over the latter’s use of Sachin Tendulkar’s images for endorsements when he was not playing for the country.

Accepting Adidas’ petition, an MRTPC bench headed by Justice O P Dwivedi issued notices to Nike India, BCCI, Tendulkar and his business managing firm, Iconix, asking them to file replies within three weeks. It also asked Adidas to file a rejoinder within two weeks from the receipt of replies.

In a statement here, Adidas said the company has a long standing association with Sachin Tendulkar. Nike launched its cricket range comprising T-shirts featuring Sachin Tendulkar’s name and jersey number in 2006, the statement said. Adidas deems that its exclusive rights to use the name of Sachin Tendulkar as well as personal details of the athlete have been violated. “There is no conflict with Sachin Tendulkar or the BCCI and they have been named in the petitions only as proforma respondents. We are committed to the relationship,” the statement said.

During the hearing, Adidas argued that BCCI granted Nike only sponsorship and licensing rights and to carry trademarks of the batsman only while playing for the country. Nike had won the five-year sponsorship rights for the Indian cricket team in 2005, outbidding Reebok and Adidas. “Sachin Tendulkar is our brand ambassador since 1997 and this is in public perception not only in India but globally too. What is the basis of their right,” Adidas counsel Shailendra K Kapoor said. “Nike tried to indicate that Sachin’s brand name was with them, which is an unfair trade practice by them. We are the exclusive owner of that brand name globally,” he said, urging the commission to restrain Nike from ‘deceiving public’.

However, declining any immediate relief to Adidas, the MRTPC bench asked the company to wait for one more month. The matter was then posted for hearing in July. BCCI has a five-year contract with Nike for the team on-field uniform. Nike had won the sponsorship rights for the Indian cricket team in 2005 with a bid of Rs 199.66 crore, beating Reebok whose bid stood at Rs 119.48 crore and Adidas Rs 127.50 crore, according to an agency report.