Britney Spears Files $1.5 Million Lawsuit Against Skechers USA
                           December 27, 8 p.m. ET,
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Britney Spears has filed a $1.5 million federal lawsuit against Skechers USA Inc. claiming that the footwear company used her to promote its own line of roller skates called 4 Wheelers By Skechers rather than the singer's own signature roller skate line called Britney Spears 4 Wheelers that was to be designed and promoted under the Britney Brands label. The suit was filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

The suit claims that the deal for Skechers to promote the Britney Spears line of skates fell through because the company was slow to find an outside company to manufacture the skates. In addition, Skechers used the pop singer's image in their advertisements before the Britney Spears 4 Wheelers line of skates was available, which resulted in an increase sale of the company's similar brand of skates.

As a result, the sales of the Britney Spears 4 Wheelers ended up being lower than anticipated, and Spears did not receive the bonus royalty compensation she expected. Sketchers also backed out of an agreement to sponsor her 2001/2002 Dream Within A Dream tour, according to court papers.

Spears is seeking $1 million in damages for the failed endorsement deal with Skechers, and $500,000 for the company allegedly failing to meet the terms of the tour sponsorship agreement.


The Manhattan Beach-based footwear company hired the singer to endorse Skechers footwear on September 1, 2001, and she signed a second agreement with the company in early 2002 for her own collection of 4 Wheelers skates.

It appears as though Spears is using her time off from performing to tend to her business affairs. The singer also exited the restaurant business in November. She issued a written statement that she no longer had involvement in the day-to-day operations of Nyla, the New York eatery she opened in June.

-- Jason Gelman, New York

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Geez Britney....what's your problem? Don't have enough money? Not enough diamonds? Not a big enough house? Let it go...my goodness. Celebrities always wanting more money...anybody hear "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" by Good Charlotte playing?
#0017 January 5, 2003 2:00 a.m. central