The European Commission fines the American company Nike of € 12.5 million. According to EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager (Competition), the company prohibited licensees from selling products that Nike has exclusive rights to, such as FC Barcelona gear, abroad or online. “Football fans love things from their favorite club, such as scarves and shirts. Nike made it contractually impossible for many of its licensees to sell those products outside of their country or via the internet, “says Vestager. “That led to a smaller choice and higher prices for consumers. These practices are against EU rules. “ In June 2017, Brussels opened an investigation into Nike’s role as a licensor and distributor for products from well-known football clubs or federations. It is not about products that Nike makes with the Nike logo on it, such as football boots, but about items such as cups, bags, bedding, stationery and toys. In addition to FC Barcelona, Nike also has the commercial rights for Manchester United, Juventus, Inter Milan, AS Roma and the French Football Association FFF. The company received a 40 percent discount on the actual fine because it cooperated with the committee’s investigation. Two investigations started immediately with Nike, about similar practices by Sanrio and Universal Studios, are still ongoing. The Japanese Sanrio is known for the Hello Kitty stuff. The American Universal Studios licenses products with the animation figures Minions.
