adidas becomes official uni,clothing sponsor of NBA

adidas to Become Exclusive Uniform and Apparel Provider for NBA, WNBA and D-League

HERZOGENAURACH and NEW YORK – April 11, 2006 – The adidas Group and the National Basketball Association have signed an 11-year global merchandising partnership that will make the adidas brand the official uniform and apparel provider for the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League (D-League) beginning with the 2006-07 NBA season.

The new merchandising relationship with adidas comes as a result of the Group’s January 2006 acquisition of Reebok International Ltd., the NBA’s exclusive uniform and apparel provider since 2001 and includes rights to sell apparel and casual and performance footwear in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. Reebok will continue to be a global marketing partner of the NBA and will maintain the ability to create NBA branded footwear.

adidas will design, manufacture, and market products for a wide assortment of unique NBA apparel collections utilizing the latest fabrics and technology featured in adidas branded apparel and footwear.

“As part of the Reebok integration we as a Group made this strategic decision, which we believe will significantly help us to immediately increase the visibility of adidas as a sport performance brand in the U.S.,” said adidas Group CEO and Chairman Herbert Hainer. “In the long term this new 11-year partnership has the power to make the NBA and adidas synonymous in basketball.”

adidas and the NBA will also collaborate at retail with an increased adidas presence at the world’s only NBA Store, on Fifth Avenue in New York City. adidas will create an adidas-NBA concept shop that will be the prototype for additional retail development around the world. In addition, adidas will sell a full range of NBA products throughout its retail locations around the world including the 2,100 adidas stores in China.

“This partnership deepens our relationship with a sports league that continues to soar in global popularity,” said Erich Stamminger, President and CEO of the adidas Brand. “We are building a foundation on which we can grow the sport of basketball globally.”

“The adidas brand is recognized for its excellence in sports heritage and performance on a global basis," said NBA Commissioner David Stern. "NBA and adidas branded apparel and footwear will be available to even more fans around the world continuing our effort to expand the league’s accessibility to anywhere fans can dribble a ball or watch a basketball game.”

adidas and the NBA plan to support the partnership through an integrated mix of global marketing and media initiatives, including NBA Europe Live presented by EA Sports in 2006 and 2007, as well as grassroots events and branded media programs throughout the 215 countries in which the league distributes content.

http://www.nba.com/news/adidas_060412.html

Very interesting, would of preferred Nike but I'm hoping adidas can get us more NBA merchandise here in Australia because they have a better market share and their product is more avaliable but it looks very unlikely due to bball's popularity though its growing of late.

I dont really care who provides the jerseys. Just lets hope adidas doensnt fuck them up some way.

What real difference does it make if its adidas..nike..spike or ike turner?

HERZOGENAURACH and NEW YORK

All right! Herzogenaurach is right up there with New York!

I dont really like adidas as a basketball brand.

Thats all.

yeah, waht's herzogen whatever.

adidas are ok makes no difference

I dont really like adidas as a basketball brand.

Thats all.

Same here. adidas are obviously great for football/soccer and some other sports for a brand. On the other side they are sort of inexperienced compared to nike, reebok and other brands who have been associated with the nba much longer but they most prob will get the experience which came from buying up reebok. Also hope they don't go overboard with the 3 stripes. I'm sure they won't screw up but still Nike would of owned if they had that deal.

I'm hoping adidas can get us more NBA merchandise here in Australia because they have a better market share and their product is more avaliable but it looks very unlikely due to bball's popularity though its growing of late.

Wishful thinking. eBay remains the best bet. Finally managed to snag myself a Gordon jersey.

Hope there will be more stuff available here

Nike, ugh. Nike is like the Microsoft of the sports apparel industry.

They won't use the three stripes on the jerseys, they can't do that. You don't see any reebok logos on the players' jerseys now do you? The real jerseys can't have any form of sponsoring and the replica ones just have a small logo next to the nba logo on the chest.

And Herzogenaurach is probably some small place in Germany where Adi Dasler hails from or something and where they've made a big adidas office now. That's my guess.

I'm hoping adidas can get us more NBA merchandise here in Australia because they have a better market share and their product is more avaliable but it looks very unlikely due to bball's popularity though its growing of late.

Wishful thinking. eBay remains the best bet. Finally managed to snag myself a Gordon jersey.

I saw a Gordon jersey in the Gold Coast! When i was on Holidays i went into a sports shop, and they had like the biggest range ive seen in Australia. It was awesome, they had Gordon, Nash, Marion, Bogut, Kobe, Iverson, Shaq, DWade, Duncan, and Manu Ginobilli. Thats the first time ive ever seen one that wasnt Iverson, Shaq or Kobe besides my Dallas Nashty one. I wanted Gordon but it wasnt my size , so i got a Phoenix Nash one (favourite player anyways)......But it looks like ill have to hit up eBay for a Tony Parker one

Pretty sure I've seen a couple of Parker jerseys on eBay. Do you remember the name of the store? Maybe they ship interstate.

Andrew this deal is apparently suspose to make NBA apparel more worldwide so you might be in luck for more bulls jerseys.

Personally I remember a few years ago Adidas did sell some replica jerseys for the nba here is aus and they were freaking terrible the quality was bad and the major thing I noticed was the 8 on kobes replicas was too pointy at the top and bottom of the numbers and it was just nasty.

makes me wonder if any teams will have new uniform designs for next season as well.

Works for me. I still need a Bogut jersey, too. The only ones on eBay at the moment are signed and selling for (or have an opening bid) around $300. That's a bit more than I'm willing to shell out for a basketball jersey right now, signed or otherwise.

Andrew, there are plenty of bogut jerseys in Australia... and can anyone tell me the point of those fully black and fully white jerseys? I dont get it...

I've yet to come across any in Newcastle.

Those black and white jerseys are a new concept, no doubt aimed at diehard collectors. Personally, I prefer the normal jerseys.

Black and White look ugly...

Foot Locker now has an abundance of Thomas, Magic, Bird and Ewing Jerseys amongst others...

None of the Foot Locker stores around these parts carry NBA jerseys. But I'll keep an eye out just in case they've expanded their range.

On the avaliabilty of jerseys in Australia if you want the NBA generic ones (there is a name for the company who makes em can't remember though it was a funny name which was hyphonated they also make bands and other apparel and merchandise) which are decent quality but don't look as good as Reebok imo the retailers that keep them are Rebel Sports, In Sport, Sports Co and Foot Locker (Bogut jerseys are plenty in this brand at these places). If you are looking for less famous players like Ben Gordon, Ray Allen, Billups, B. Wallace, Hamilton two e-tailers who are also stores too keep them which are www.kickz101.com.au located in Melbourne and www.dplayground.com located in Parramatta in NSW. If you want Reebok or other brands then the place would be like ebay which Andrew said or the markets like Paddys, Parklee or others.

artestfighttrainer wrote:
I'm hoping adidas can get us more NBA merchandise here in Australia because they have a better market share and their product is more avaliable but it looks very unlikely due to bball's popularity though its growing of late.


Wishful thinking. eBay remains the best bet. Finally managed to snag myself a Gordon jersey.

Exactly what I said, they may bring it but highly unlikely.

Nike, ugh. Nike is like the Microsoft of the sports apparel industry.

Nah Nike are Nike.

They won't use the three stripes on the jerseys, they can't do that. You don't see any reebok logos on the players' jerseys now do you? The real jerseys can't have any form of sponsoring and the replica ones just have a small logo next to the nba logo on the chest.

Yeah I agree too they won't use it on the jerseys but I could only take so much of the stripes if they were on apparel that was for sale.

Last edited by artestfighttrainer on Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah, Matthew told me about DPlayground. Pretty good selection of jerseys but the DVDs are somewhat expensive. Cheaper to use eBay or even Amazon, funnily enough.

I dont really like adidas as a basketball brand.

Thats all.

Neither do I. They have crappy shoes.

I'm sure there will be a day when that Chinese Shoe Company becomes the offical sponsor of clothing and shoes etc. of NBA.

If you are looking for less famous players like Ben Gordon, Ray Allen, Billups, B. Wallace, Hamilton

What do you mean those players aren't popular? Or are you talking about just in Australia?