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By
Steve Pike, PGA.com Senior Writer
02.17.2004
02:49 pm (ET)
A lawsuit filed against Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) by Triple Tee Golf Inc. alleging, among other things, that Nike Golf violated patents in the development of the new Slingshot iron has "no basis in fact or law," Nike Golf Club Category Business Director Mike Kelly said Feb. 13.
Triple Tee Golf filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Ft. Lauderdale against Nike and Impact Golf Technologies, along with Tom Stites.
The lawsuit alleges that in September 2000 in Fort Worth, Texas, Jack Gillig, vice president and principle owner of TTG, reviewed with Stites numerous prototypes, sketches, and concepts for "a new and unique system of golf clubs and golf equipment that was different than any other product that was available in the marketplace." Stites at the time was owner of Impact Golf Technologies. He sold IGT to Nike Golf and now serves as the company's Director of Product Creation.
The lawsuit claims that Stites agreed, as a condition, that all discussions and information furnished to him by Gillig regarding golf club and golf equipment concepts would be kept in absolute confidence.
Kelly said Stites first filed for a patent on one of the clubs in question, which is now Slingshot, in 1997, three years before he met Gillig. Stites was granted the patent in 1999. Stites, according to Kelly, has been granted 23 golf club patents dating back to 1987.
Nike Golf intoduced the Slingshot iron this past fall.
Kelly said Nike will "vigorously defend its award-winning, innovative golf club designs and the talented engineering team responsible for them."
Copyright 2004 by PGA.com. All rights reserved.
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