Adidas sponsorships

Adidas sponsors many athletes and teams around the world. One of the first prominent endorsers of Adidas equipment was American running legend Jesse Owens, the gold medalist at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Football sponsorships

Adidas produces the kits of some of the biggest domestic and international football teams, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Chelsea, Liverpool,Tom Leyland's Wardrobe Newcastle United and Ajax, as well as the national teams of Germany, France, Romania, Argentina, Mexico and Spain. They produce the balls used in the UEFA Champions League matches and FIFA World Cup tournaments since 1970.

FIFA World Cup 1954

When West Germany won the 1954 FIFA World Cup, their footwear was supplied by Adidas. These shoes introduced a technological breakthrough: studs with screws. When the weather was good and the pitch was hard, the shoes were equipped with short studs; when it rained, longer studs were screwed on the bottom of the shoes. As the final game against the highly-favoured team from Hungary was played in heavy rain, this gave the German players a firmer hold on the slippery pitch. This anecdote was a plot device used in the successful German film, "The Miracle of Bern", which was a movie version of the 1954 World Cup.

FIFA World Cup 2006

More recently, some players on the German national team who have contracts with rival sportswear companies (most notably Nike endorsers Jens Lehmann and Miroslav Klose) have complained about the clause on Adidas' contract with the national side requiring them to wear Adidas kit, including footwear. Lehmann cited foot pain from the boots that bothered him during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Several players threatened to boycott an international friendly against Sweden in protest against the rule. However, the German Football Association was able to reach a new agreement with Adidas in September 2006 to allow the players to wear their own brand of boots, and in the goalkeepers' case, their own gloves.

Official FIFA World Cup supplier

North America

* All Major League Soccer teams, plus MLS All-Star Teams.
** flagicon|USA New England Revolution
** flagicon|USA New Hampshire Phantoms
** flagicon|USA New York Red Bulls
** flagicon|USA DC United
** flagicon|USA Columbus Crew
** flagicon|USA Chicago Fire
** flagicon|USA Kansas City Wizards
** flagicon|CAN Toronto FC
** flagicon|USA Colorado Rapids
** flagicon|USA FC Dallas
** flagicon|USA Real Salt Lake
** flagicon|USA Houston Dynamo
** flagicon|USA Los Angeles Galaxy
** flagicon|USA Chivas USA
** flagicon|USA Richmond Kickers
** flagicon|USA San Jose Earthquakes
* UANL Tigres
* Harbour View FC
* Club Deportivo Victoria

outh America

* River Plate
* Club Deportivo Riestra
* Fluminense
* Palmeiras
* Universidad de Chile
* Deportivo Cali
* Millonarios - Since 2009
* Atletico Nacional - Since 2009
* Estrella Roja FC
* Regatas Lima

Oceania

* Central United
* Auckland City FC
* NIKAO SOKATTAK

National

Tennis

Canoe Racing

*flagicon|GER Josefa Idem

Martial Arts

Judo

* Ruben Houkes
* Tong Wen

Tae-Kwon-Do

* Gwladys Épangue

Australian Rules Football

*Adelaide Football Club
*Collingwood Football Club
*Essendon Football Club.

The guernsey design for both of these clubs is rather technologically advanced for AFL clubs, with the material designed to reduce sweat. The guernseys do not feature the three-stripe design as such, although Adelaide's jumper design features three colors in repeated horizontal stripes, and Collingwood's design features three white verticle stripes on a black background. Adidas have recently anounced that they will be manufacturing Essendon's jumper in 2009.

Other Adidas sponsorships

Adidas was the title sponsor for the Vancouver Marathon during 2001-2005 which has since been taken over by BMO Bank of Montreal. Currently, the marathon is presented by Adidas.

Adidas sponsored the Gumball 3000 car rally, organised by the global jet-set. Two British participants of the 2007 rally, driving a Porsche, were arrested and detained for their part in a reported 200km/h car crash on 3 May that resulted in the death of two people. [http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article2511442.ece] . Adidas withdrew as a sponsor afterwards.

Adidas is also a sponsor of the New Zealand Rugby Union, including the All Blacks team and the teams who represent New Zealand in the Super 14: the Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes. Adidas also sponsors the Argentine Rugby Union, outfitting "Los Pumas", that country's national team and the Stade Français a french professional rugby union club, famous today for using pink and flowers in their jerseys.

In the Philippines, Adidas co-brands the Ateneo de Manila University [ [http://www.ateneo.edu/index.php?p=120&type=2&sec=27&aid=4118 Ateneo de Manila University] admu.edu.ph] and De La Salle University-Manila, which recently signed a memorandum of agreement with Adidas Philippines last February 2008. [ [http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/mco/publications/2401/20080211.pdf 20080211.pdf] The Official Newsletter of De La Salle University-Manila] This co-branding means that Adidas will be manufacturing not only jerseys for most sports, but also t-shirts and jackets, which are and are to be sold in Adidas concept stores all over Metro Manila, with La Salle's apparel to be available by July 2008. The PBA's Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants and San Miguel Beermen are also outfitted by Adidas.

In the United States, Adidas is an official sponsor for the Boston Marathon since 1988. The company also serves as the exclusive uniform supplier to the National Basketball Association and uniform and match ball supplier for Major League Soccer. They are also an official sponsor of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.

From 2001-2005, Adidas was the Official Sponsor for the Hoops In The Sun Summer League, based in New York City, primarily Orchard Beach in the Bronx. It would be the only street ball summer league that Adidas has been a sponsor for in New York City, as well as on the entire East Coast. Representatives of Adidas such as Tracy McGrady and Tim Thomas made appearances at the league during Adidas' sponsorship tenure.

Adidas also sponsors the U.S. Fencing Association, and makes some of the most popular fencing shoes (with the most popular Adidas fencing shoes being the Dartagnan II), in the market.

Adidas is also a sponsor of the St George-Illawarra Dragons Rugby League team in the NRL in Australia

Adidas also co-sponsors the UCI T-Mobile cycling team.

Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies also endorses Adidas.

Adidas is a sponsor for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

It was announced on 20 September 2007 that Adidas will be the sportswear sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games, in a deal worth an estimated $200 million.Fact|date=November 2007

Adidas Lacrosse is a sponsor of the adidas National Lacrosse Classic featuring the top 600 high school underclassmen in the United States. [http://www.adidashighschoolsports.com adidas National Lacrosse Classic]

In The NFL 2 notable players are sponsered by Adidas. The 2 players being The New Orleans Saints Halfback Reggie Bush and the San Francisco 49ers Tight End Vernon Davis. Reggie Bush was fined for wearing his signature Adidas cleats.

For the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Adidas spent €70 million sponsoring the event amid criticisms. [cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,551262,00.html|title=Adidas Chief Criticizes Anti-China Protestors|work=Der Spiegel|date=2008-05-03|accessdate=2008-05-03]

References