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Skechers sues adidas over federal corruption allegations

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There are sure to be plenty of twists and turns, surprises and shockers as the federal government’s case regarding alleged corruption in college basketball unfolds.

Count the revelation that Skechers is in the basketball shoe game among them.

Who knew?

Skechers is suing adidas, which is embroiled in the FBI’s investigation, alledging false advertising and unfair competition due to accusations from the government’s case that adidas has been funneling money to top recruits and their families, according to Forbes.

“Adidas would have consumers, investors, and the public believe that hot, up-and-coming collegiate basketball players, as well as talented young players who move on to the National Basketball Association (‘NBA’), choose adidas’s products due to their supposed superior performance and style,” it says in the complaint.

“In fact, however, adidas has coopted young players into wearing and expressly or implicitly endorsing its products by funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars in secret payments to players, their coaches, and/or family members in violation of National Collegiate Athletic Association (‘NCAA’) rules.”

So what we have here is a lawsuit from a company known not for their basketball business, but the shoes they make for mall walkers (shoutout to the shape-ups) claiming the as-to-yet-unproven misdeeds of a rival company with solid footing in hoops is hurting their basketball brand.

I’m no lawyer, but I am an admirer of bold moves and trash talking, which looks a lot like we have here. Apparently, the whole thing stems from another legal dispute between the two companies, and this would appear to be an outgrowth of that battle.

Either way, now you know Skechers is (Was? Wants to be? Dreams of being?) in the business of basketball shoes. And you have the federal government to thank for that.