Legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi is in the middle of a nasty dogfight between his family and Nike -- and it's all over a speech he made more than 40 years ago. 
Vince died back in 1970 but Nike wanted to license the words and audio of an unidentified speech that the late Green Bay Packers coach once made for a new ad campaign. Nike claims they struck a deal with Lombardi's 2 kids -- Vince Jr. and Susan -- and even paid them $150,000 up front to expedite things.
But in a lawsuit filed in Oregon, Nike claims after they wrote the check they discovered that no audio of the speech actually exists ... and accuse the Lombardis of concealing that fact during negotiations. Now, Nike wants their money back.
The best part of the lawsuit: Nike seems to acknowledge that their guy who worked on the deal with the Lombardis was "running out the door on a personal trip" and signed the contract without paying proper attention to some last minute revisions -- one of which made the $150,000 advance "nonrefundable."
So Nike claims that now the Lombardis don't want to give the money back -- and are suing for breach of contract, mutual mistake and fraud.
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Hey Harvey - this sounds like a People's Court episode gone big time! As you have always advised people (for free) "Get it in writing and look it over". How can you look that stuff over and blame it on a trip?
Why doesn't nike just use that lame speech from Any Given Sunday? They could probably get it for 10 bucks. I can still hear it "The inches we need are everywhere!" It would fit right in with all the lame stuff Nike does.
Good, I hope Nike doesn't get their money back..They screw over to many people, it's about time they get theirs..
Wait, how are they suing for breach of contract when it's the contract that says the 150k is non-refundable?
When Lombardi's kids get deposed, just ask them..."have you ever heard a recording of the audio?"
Are you kidding me, let it go NIKE. You have to accept responsibility on your part for not checking things out ahead of time. Isn't there a statue of limitations on this?
How is it the fault of Lombardi's kids that there is no known audio of the speech? Someone at Nike should have made sure there was audio of it before paying someone.
This is the same dumbass company that continues Tiger Woodie..
What a nasty bunch of losers....
Buy Puma instead of supporting this outfit.
cant they just do a voice over? and what attracted nike to the speech if they never heard it before?
Nike's going to end up spending more on attorney fees than the 150k!
I couldn't possibly care an less about Vince Lombardi or football........but when a corporation like NIKE PAYS, up front, to license the use of a video without even checking its authenticity or completeness.......this serves them right.
Maybe next time they'll check things out a bit better.
150 grand at that level? Yeah NIKE......give it up.
Write if off as an educational expenditure.
Come on Nike. Are you serious? You screwed up, too bad so sad. Pay attention next time. Don't offer up non-refundable contracts for 150g's until you know what you're doing smart guys. Isn't asking for a refund on a non-refundable contract a breach... of... contract...? Ask the genius who worked on the deal for the money back if you're stupid enough to. I'd guess you are. Just one more reason I'm glad I haven't bought any of Nike's crap since the second Air Jordans.
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