Two years of trash talk and prevent defense suddenly petered out in the National Football League last month when Nike ended its opposition to a rival's hat, capping a baffling marketing war that was as invisible to fans as it was irritating to players.
So what happened?
Before the 2001 season, Nike dropped a licensing agreement with the NFL that gave it the rights to provide the official apparel to 13 of the 32 pro football teams. It retained, however, its right to provide the shoes for any player with a Nike endorsement contract. After the Nike turnover, Reebok handed the NFL $250 million for 10 years of exclusive rights to the uniforms and apparel of every team in the league, from headbands to socks.
Nike responded by scooping up all the players it could (some suggest up to 80 percent of the league) and signing them to endorsement contracts, hoping to keep the Swoosh alive, at least below the ankles.
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