Riddell Sports Group

Riddell Sports Group, commonly known as Riddell, is an American company specializing in sports equipment for Gridiron football. Founded in 1929 by John Tate Riddell, it was headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois,[1] but in 2017, the company relocated to a new facility in Des Plaines, Illinois.[2][3]

History

The company was founded by John Tate Riddell, who invented the removable cleat. Riddell specialized in cleats until 1939, when John Tate Riddell invented the plastic shell helmet. This was followed by the invention of the plastic suspension helmet in the early 1940s, which was used by the United States Military during the Second World War. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the company introduced new helmet technologies, such as facemasks in the 1950s, air-filled padding in the 1960s, and helmets with multiple inflation points in the 1990s.[4] Following the success of helmets designed to reduce concussions in addition to skull injuries, Dan Arment was appointed president of Riddell in 2008.

Lawsuits

Concussion litigation against Riddell often revolves around claims that the company knew about the risks associated with their helmets but failed to properly warn athletes and teams. Plaintiffs argue that Riddell's helmets did not provide sufficient protection or effectively mitigate the risk of concussions, leading to long-term brain injuries and health complications.[14] A jury in the 2013 case ruled that Riddell was negligent in not warning people about concussion dangers when wearing its helmets.[15] The exact verdict in favor of Mr. Ridolfi was on his claims for negligent failure to warn.[16] Attorney Franklin D. Azar, who represented plaintiffs in the Colorado case, predicted that the $11 million verdict awarded in the 2013 trial could have implications for the larger suit by NFL players. Because Riddell knew in November 2000 of problems in testing of the helmets but did not disclose the information.[17][18] Azar asserted that the verdict shows that there is no statute of limitations on traumatic brain injuries when manufacturers do not adequately warn of defects.[19] The ruling came as Riddell faced a similar suit in California, as well as a complaint by thousands of NFL players.[20]

One significant legal case involving Riddell was the multidistrict litigation (MDL) brought by former National Football League players. In 2011, thousands of retired NFL players sued the league, alleging that they suffered long-term brain injuries as a result of concussions sustained during their careers. In this MDL, Riddell faced claims that they failed to disclose the long-term risks of concussions to players and that their helmets did not adequately protect against head injuries. Riddell was named as a defendant in this litigation due to their role as the official helmet provider for the NFL.[14]

Riddell has been sued by multiple NFL players.[21][22] More than 125 former NFL players sued the league and helmet-maker Riddell for not disclosing and, in some instances, allegedly hiding the risks of repeated head injuries. There are "at least three" personal injury cases pending in California and one more in Pennsylvania. According to the AP, the cases represent the "first examples of former players joining together to file concussion-related lawsuits against the NFL."

type	Private Company
industry	Sports equipment
foundation	1929
founder	John Tate Riddell
location city	Rosemont, Illinois
location country	United States
area served	Worldwide
key people	Alison Borsema (CEO)
products	Protective equipment (helmets, shoulder pads, face masks) Apparel
owner	Fenway Partners
homepage	riddell.com

Riddell Sports Group

History

Products

Lawsuits

See also

External links

References