Entangled in Legal Drama With Nike, Fashion Brand Partners With Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami After $75,000,000 Cash Injection

The notoriety of Inter Miami has reached new heights in the past few weeks. This has mainly been due to the arrival of one name—Lionel Messi. The Argentinian superstar has already opened new avenues for David Beckham’s soccer franchise. And now, the team has been presented with another significant opportunity.

Just days ago, Miami received a massive $75 million boost from one of its major investors. Now, a very popular fashion brand has partnered with the Florida-based club.

Renowned fashion brand partners with the domestic side of Lionel Messi

BAPE will be collaborating with Inter Miami. The news broke after the club posted a graphic that had both the brand and the club’s emblem on Instagram. They also wrote a caption, saying, “BAPE®️ x Inter Miami coming soon!” The collection will be out this month. It will showcase a variety of collaborative clothing items, such as hoodies, T-shirts, shorts, and caps.

The beloved Japanese streetwear label, A Bathing Ape, commonly referred to as Bape, is one of the most renowned fashion brands. The company has been expanding around the world by opening stores in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. Likewise, they are set to capture the American audience even more with their latest collaboration.

READ MORE: “Shaking Up American Soccer” – Lionel Messi Leaves Ex-World Champion ‘Open-Mouthed’ After Scintillating Goal-Scoring Form for Inter Miami

Indeed, it is a huge collaboration between both sides. With Messi on board, Inter Miami is attracting greater attention than previously. Hence, partnering with BAPE further cements their aspiration to establish themselves as one of the most culturally significant and innovative clubs—as well as brands—in the realm of football. However, BAPE is currently entangled in a massive legal drama with a major brand, Nike.

BAPE entangled in a legal drama with Nike

Back in January, the American athletic fashion brand Nike initiated a trademark infringement legal case against BAPE in a New York court. Nike claimed that BAPE’s current shoe business heavily relies on imitating Nike’s iconic designs. They also claim that BAPE’s sneakers infringe upon Nike’s trademarked designs, causing confusion among consumers and potentially harming their brand’s reputation.

The lawsuit mentioned some key examples of Japanese-brand sneakers that allegedly bear a resemblance to Nike’s iconic styles. Hence, Nike seeks legal action to prevent BAPE from continuing to produce and sell these allegedly infringing products and to seek damages for the trademark violation.

WATCH THIS STORY: 2 Years After Wanting to ‘Kill’ Him, Lionel Messi Gifts One of His Iconic Awards to His World Cup Winning Teammate in a Wholesome Gesture

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.