SPORTS> Feature and Column
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SPORTS> Feature and Column
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Nike, Puma chase Adidas in World Cup battle
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-21 10:43 FRANKFURT, March 21 (Reuters) - Adidas has lost the first match-up in the mounting World Cup marketing battle in the sporting goods industry. The opening game between Germany and Costa Rica in Munich on June 9 is still weeks away, but the industry is already gearing up for its biggest ever set-to at world soccer's premier event. Adidas, which has dominated previous World Cups, will sponsor fewer teams participating at this year's tournament than long-time arch rivals Nike and Puma. Just six teams will be playing in Adidas's trademark three-stripes kits, while U.S. Nike has signed up eight teams to wear its "swoosh" logo, among them five-times champions Brazil. "It's remarkable that market leader Adidas will have fewer teams than its toughest pursuer Nike," said analysts at German Landesbank Rheinland-Pfalz in a study. Smaller German rival Puma will supply 12 teams with jerseys featuring its leaping red-cat trademark. Adidas, which supplies hosts Germany and the 1998 world champions France, had bad luck as some of its partners such as European champions Greece, Nigeria and China failed to qualify. But Adidas has vowed to fight back and play out its role as an official sponsor of world soccer body FIFA, which will give it advertising rights in the 12 stadiums. With a total global audience of 32 billion expected to watch the 64 matches on television -- 10 percent more than in 2002, according to TV rights agency Infront -- the competition to raise brand awareness has never been tougher. Marketing costs are treated as secrets but Adidas and Puma have said they will stage their biggest ever marketing campaigns, while Nike plans to spend more than at the 2002 Cup. RISING COMPETITION Nike and Puma have invested heavily to challenge Adidas, the global soccer shoes market leader for decades. |
