Many of the "more than 100 [NBA] players with deals to
wear the swoosh have discovered language in their contracts
that gives Nike the right to withhold payment because of a
work stoppage," according to Selena Roberts of the N.Y.
TIMES. With the exception of "a few signature clients,"
including Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway, agents said
that "most players under contract did not find a quarterly
check in the mail." Roberts noted that other companies,
such as Reebok and adidas, "are paying their endorsers"
during the NBA lockout, but "no other company has the number
of clients Nike has." Agent Eric Fleischer: "Nike's
explanation for this is that they want to see how this whole
thing plays out. I'm obviously very disturbed by it. ... If
they are prorating their sponsorship agreements with the
league, it would be different. But I haven't been told
that." Nike said that it "is reassessing the value" of its
NBA investments "across the board." Nike spokesperson
Vizhier Mooney: "For anyone to assume that we are taking
sides based on our actions, or that we are doing one thing
to one party and not another, is inaccurate. We stand firm
in choosing not to take a side. The issue is between the
players and the league. We owe it to our employees to be
fiscally responsible" (Selena Roberts, N.Y. TIMES, 12/19).
