Rollerblade Founder Is Suing for Royalties

Rollerblade Inc. founder Scott Olson has filed a lawsuit accusing the company’s current owner of failing to pay him royalties on foreign sales of in-line skates. Olson’s lawsuit names Rollerblade; the company’s current owner and Italian ski-equipment maker, Nordica; and Robert Naegele Jr., who bought out Olson in 1985. The suit does not say how much Olson believes he is owed, but Olson’s attorney, Craig Greenberg, said he estimates it to be about $3 million. Although Naegele is no longer involved with Minnetonka, Minn.-based Rollerblade, he is named in the suit because he oversaw an international licensing agreement between the company and Nordica in 1993. Olson founded the company in 1980 as North American Sports Training Corp. The name was changed to Rollerblade Inc. in 1985.