PORTLAND, Ore. — For the second time in two months, Nike Inc. is suing a competitor for alleged patent infringement.
Nike (NYSE: NKE) has filed a lawsuit accusing Lululemon Athletica Inc. (Nasdaq: LULU) of patent infringement related to the Vancouver, B.C.-based apparel and athletic company's Mirror Home Gym, a digital workout system that allows customers to stream online workouts into their homes.
Lululemon bought Mirror in July 2020 when more people were opting for at-home workouts amid the early days of the pandemic. The fitness company sells fully digital and interactive workout platforms with live and on-demand classes starting at $1,195 and requires a $39 per month Mirror membership fee to access the online workouts.
In documents filed Jan. 5 in U.S. District Court in New York, Nike accused Lululemon of infringement, calling it “objectively reckless, knowing, intentional, deliberate, and willful” adding that Nike has a “robust portfolio of patents directed to its digital sport innovations.”
Nike spells out in detail its history of developing “game-changing digital sport technologies,” going back as far as 1983 to when it patented a data-collecting device in a running shoe. It also highlighted its efforts to foster a "Nike community of athletes" connected by its technology.
Read the full story at the Portland Business Journal.
