ESPN.com reports that Rory McIlroy is being sued by Oakley. The company claims that McIlroy was in breach of contract when he signed an estimated $200m deal with Nike.
From the ESPN report:
According to a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Santa Ana, Calif., Oakley tried to use its "right of first refusal" to match the Nike offer, but McIlroy and his agent, Conor Ridge, ignored the counteroffer, thereby breaching the Oakley-McIlroy contract.
Oakley claims in its lawsuit that its contractual rights for McIlroy's endorsements of its eyewear and performance apparel would be 30 percent of the Nike package. If the reports in European golf publications of a $200 million deal with Nike are accurate, then Oakley offered about $60 million to continue its deal with McIlroy.
Oakley also say that McIlroy's refusal to sign a new contract with them has caused irreparable to the brand and now want an injunction put in place to prevent McIlroy and Nike from executing their contract.
In a statement to ESPN.com McIlroy's management company, Horizon Sports Management said:
McIlroy has fulfilled all of his obligations to Oakley, and the claims in the lawsuit are entirely baseless.
