Nike, the world's number one sports equipment maker, chose a symbolic venue
to kick off its attack on Adidas and unveil its World Cup kits -- Berlin's
Olympic stadium where the World Cup final will be played on July 9.
"We are realising on the pitch and on the street our goal to become the
leading football brand," Charles Denson, president of the firm's key Nike brand
told Reuters.
Nike hopes to repeat its success from the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South
Korea, where its partners Brazil beat Adidas's flagship Germany in the final,
boosting sales of Brazilian team look-alike jerseys for months.
LRP analysts say Nike is still lagging Adidas in the market for soccer gear
but has come closer with a market share of 30 percent. Adidas has some 35
percent and Puma around 9 percent.
Puma plans to open shops in towns where its teams are playing and has also
enlisted Brazilian soccer great Pele, who once wore Puma shoes on the pitch.
"We want to turn the duel of the big two into a three-way fight," said Puma
Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz recently.
But Adidas still sees itself in a prime position at the World Cup because it
has been a FIFA partner since 1970.
Adidas will supply the official match balls, provide gear for the referees,
linesmen and ball boys. It has also certain merchandise rights to sell gear with
the Cup logo.
LONG BATTLE
For decades, Adidas used to dominate the soccer gear market ever since it
provided the German team with boots with studs for the 1954 World Cup. The studs
helped West Germany beat Hungary in the final on a rain-soaked pitch in Bern.
While the studs became standard, Adidas's founder Adi Dassler kept his
company ahead of the pack by striking deals to supply most national teams, for
free or modest payment, regardless of political boundaries.