adidas further expands football market leadership position
Vienna, June 16, 2008 - "For adidas, the UEFA EURO 2008™ has already proven to be a great success. We have succeeded in carrying on the momentum of the World Cup which took place in our home country and further expanding our market leadership position in the global football business. This means – to use a sporting analogy – we have not only made it through to the next round, we are already a clear European Championship winner," said Herbert Hainer, CEO and Chairman of adidas AG on the day of the Austria vs. Germany game at the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, adidas’ base during the European Championships.
Compared to 2004, the last European Championship year, brand adidas football sales have risen by over 50%. All regions and product categories are contributors to this growth. Also in comparison to the 2006 World Cup year, global sales with football products are up at a double-digit percentage rate.
According to the most recent independent market surveys, adidas has expanded its leadership position in football and was the clear market leader in Europe at the end of 2007. adidas’ market share at 40% (2006: 38%) is larger than both its closest competitors together. In core markets such as Germany, and also in North America, adidas’ football market share (based on market volume in value) is over 50%. (Sources: NPD Sports Tracking Europe and SportScan).
"For over 50 years, adidas has played a major role in all significant football product innovations. This gives us a degree of credibility that no other brand can claim. Fans and footballers on every level know that we live for football, and that they can rely on our products," Herbert Hainer added.
As Official Sponsor, Supplier and Licensee of UEFA EURO 2008™, adidas supplies the Official Ball of the tournament and equips officials, referees, volunteers and ball boys. Additionally, adidas outfits the national teams of Germany, France, Spain, Romania and defending champion Greece as well as over 100 individual players at this year’s European Championships. adidas is also capitalizing on the EURO as a platform for spectacular marketing activities, such as the 42-meter-high likeness of the Czech national team goalkeeper, Petr Cech, at the Prater in Vienna (“Impossible Goalkeeper”), the 17-meter-high circle of players measuring 33 metres in diameter, made up of eleven colossal doubles of football stars from nine nations at Zurich’s train station (“Impossible Huddle”) and the impressive adidas presence in the UEFA EURO Fan Mile at Vienna’s Heldenplatz.
"UEFA EURO 2008™ represents an outstanding platform to showcase the adidas brand. Our presence with our products on the field of play, coupled with these outstanding marketing activities outside the stadiums, is generating excitement with consumers in the host countries and around the world," said Erich Stamminger, President and CEO of the adidas Brand.
adidas is the partner and supplier of numerous football federations on both an international and national level. For example, adidas is Official Partner of football's international governing body FIFA and the Confederation of African Football CAF. adidas is Official Sponsor, Licensee and Supplier to all FIFA World Cups™ until 2014, Official Supplier to Major League Soccer (USA) and the UEFA Champions League™. Apart from the above-mentioned participants of UEFA EURO 2008™, national teams equipped by adidas include Argentina, Mexico, Japan, China, Nigeria and South Africa, host of the FIFA World Cup 2010™. adidas is also official supplier to prominent football clubs including AC Milan, Chelsea FC, FC Bayern München, Liverpool FC and Real Madrid. Additionally, stars such as Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski, David Villa, Patrick Viera, Petr Cech, Andreas Ivanschitz, Tranquillo Barnetta, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Lionel Messi and Kaká represent their respective clubs wearing state-of-the-art adidas football equipment.