Schutt Sports Found Off-Sides in Argument Against Moving Suit to Illinois

On August 28, 2017, Eastern District of Texas Judge Gilstrap ruled on Riddell Inc.’s motion against Schutt Sports to either dismiss the patent infringement suit brought against it or to move the case from Texas to Illinois. Despite Texas being a proper venue for the suit, Judge Gilstrap ultimately ruled to move the case to Illinois because it serves as a more convenient forum.

In May 2017, Schutt filed suit against Riddell claiming infringement on three of its patents for helmet designs — U.S. Patent …

July 10, 2017 Litigation

Riddell and Xenith Reach Settlement

On Wednesday, July 5, 2017, Riddell reached an undisclosed settlement to resolve their patent infringement claims against fellow helmet-maker Xenith. The lawsuit had alleged that Xenith infringed upon Riddell’s patents relating to the basic shape and design of their helmets, including the outer shell and ventilation features of the helmet. The Xenith models in question were their varsity and youth EPIC and X2E helmets. This settlement comes years after another case filed by Riddell against Schutt Sports resulted in a jury awarding Riddell $29 million …

June 28, 2017 Litigation

Helmet to Helmet: The latest in Schutt and Riddell’s IP Row

Football helmet maker Schutt Sports responded strongly to a bid by rival Riddell Inc. to throw away the IP suit—or to at least give Riddell home field advantage and move the claims to Illinois, where Riddell is headquartered. The suit revolves around Riddell’s alleged infringement on three of Schutt’s helmet design patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,938,818, 8,528,118 and 8,813,269. Schutt believes there is no reason to dismiss or move the case from Texas.

Schutt contends that Riddell has positioned itself to have a …

June 1, 2017 Concussions / Litigation

Class-Action Suit Against Riddell Dropped

A class-action lawsuit brought against Riddell by former high school and college football players has been dropped. The former players had alleged that Riddell, the NFL’s official helmet maker from 1989 to 2014, misrepresented the degree of safety provided by helmets manufactured by the company. Specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that Riddell falsely claimed in advertising and marketing materials that its Revolution helmets would reduce concussions by 31 percent compared to other helmets on the market, without ever testing them for the type of hits …

May 25, 2017 Concussions / NFL

Forward Progress: Personal Injury Suits against Helmet Maker Moving Forward

After a delay and the conclusion of the NFL concussion litigation, the 95 personal injury suits against Riddell, the former official helmet supplier for the NFL, are moving forward. On May 18, 2017, U.S. District Judge Anita Brody, a Pennsylvania federal court judge, issued a scheduling order for the claims against Riddell. Some of these suits were initially brought in 2012 and were later separated from the multidistrict concussion suit filed by ex-NFL players or their families.

A suit against Riddell by NCAA football players …

March 23, 2017 Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / Litigation

Helmet Maker Riddell Free to Move Forward with Patent Infringement Litigation During PTAB Review

On Sunday, March 19, 2017, an Illinois Federal Judge denied Kranos Corporation’s and Xenith LLC’ motion to stay Riddell’s helmet patent infringement cases against them, holding that a pending Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) review does not provide an automatic stay for the two cases.

As previously reported, Riddell filed two lawsuits against Kranos and Xenith in April 2016, alleging their helmet designs infringed Riddell’s patented helmet designs. While the judge presiding over the case denied Riddell’s motion to consolidate the two …

March 8, 2017 Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / Litigation

Helmet Maker Riddell Accuses Rivals of Delaying Football Helmet Patent Infringement Litigations: Unfair Delay, or Proper Use of a Stay Pending the PTAB Outcome?

Riddell, Inc., a Chicago-based sports equipment maker, urged an Illinois federal court to keep its patent infringement suits moving forward, instead of granting its rival’s motion to stay the cases while the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) reviews the patents at issue.

As background, Riddell filed two lawsuits in April, 2016 against Schutt Sports and Xenith, LLC, alleging the competing companies’ football helmets violated Riddell’s “Sports Helmet” patents, patent numbers 8,938,818 and 8,528,118, both issued between 2013 and 2015. Each patent provides detail …

October 12, 2016 Concussions / Litigation / NFL

Another Headache for the NFL and Riddell

On Tuesday, October 4, 2016, helmet maker Riddell Inc. and the NFL were sued by more than 50 former football players and families of deceased players in a new lawsuit in Louisiana Federal Court. The proposed class action alleges that the NFL made “material representations” that several brain conditions such as early-onset dementia, memory loss, and ALS, were not caused by the players’ time in the NFL and the NFL failed to protect its players.

The suit further alleges that the NFL was aware of …

July 29, 2016 Concussions / NFL

Widow Claims Riddell to Blame for “Horrific” Suicide

Chelsea Oliver, the widow of Paul Oliver, gained a big win in the federal court system on July 19, 2016. A federal judge remanded Chelsea Oliver’s case against Riddell Incorporated back to the state courts. Riddell removed the case from state court in May, claiming it fell under the Labor Management Relations Act. The federal judge rejected this argument and sent it back to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

This case stems from the death of Chelsea Oliver’s husband, Paul Oliver, who committed …

July 12, 2016 Litigation / NFL

NFL Hall of Famer Seeks to Tackle Riddell with Brain Trauma Lawsuit

On Thursday, July 7, 2016 NFL Hall of Fame member Paul Hornung hit Riddell Inc. and its parent company BRG Sports Inc. with a failure to warn lawsuit. Hornung alleges that Riddell, which promoted its plastic helmets beginning in 1939, claimed the product was the safest option, but knew that it could never adequately protect from brain trauma. Hornung believes his dementia was a result of his helmets inability to protect from brain injuries, as was promised.

Hornung is a former Green Bay Packer who …