Manchester United’s new outfitter
For the past 13 years, one of the world’s top football clubs had their kits supplied by the Oregon, USA-based sports and apparel company. Manchester United and Nike’s swoosh are a familiar site both on the pitch and on specialty stores selling football merchandise.
Recently, the sports manufacturing giant announced termination of their partnership with the football club citing some conditions on the new contract offered as not beneficial to the company. Nike though will still sponsor Man U until the end of the 2014/2015 season.
Enter Adidas. After Germany’s successful World Cup campaign, the German company cornered an absolutely insane 10-year deal $1.275 billion with Manchester United. The 2015/2016 season starts with the Red Devils wearing the famous three stripes on their uniforms.
The football club released a statement on their official website confirming the deal:
“Manchester United has reached a 10-year agreement with Adidas for a global technical sponsorship and dual branded licensing deal for a minimum guarantee of 750 million pounds, subject to certain adjustments, beginning with the 2015/2016 campaign. For the 2014/2015 season, Nike will continue its role of technical sponsor and trademark licensee.”
Nike and Adidas, with the intermittent participation of Puma, had been battling for market supremacy. The Man U deal is a big boost to the German firm and loyal Adidas football fans likely will look forward to next season’s merchandise.
The money from the deal can also be used in the coming seasons to upgrade a squad that has performed below expectations. With an obscene amount of resources on hand, there really is no reason why the club can’t lure the best footballers on the planet.
Prior to the Man U-Adidas deal, Arsenal, another English Premier League club, left Nike and joined forces with another German firm Puma for a 5-year, $255 million deal. This was supposed to be the biggest deal in British football before the Adidas deal with Manchester United. Double whammy for Nike.
And how did Nike’s A-list football stars do in the World Cup? Let me count the ways. Because of injury, France missed Frank Riberry. Andres Iniesta’s Spain was a disappointment. England and Wayne Rooney was out of the pitch after two matches. Neymar suffered a back injury and David Luiz shed tears for Brazil. Cristiano Ronaldo had more haircuts for Portugal than scoring goals.
The only one whose star shone brightest among this Nike A-list was Tim Howard, and had the US advanced to the quarters and semis, he could have been a strong contender for the tournament’s Golden Ball award. I still could not get it why Lionel Messi was the MVP. Oh well, the organizers have their reasons.
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FIFA recently released their official world rankings and to no one’s surprise, Germany is tops on the list followed by Argentina, Netherlands, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland and France.
Out of the top ten are Portugal (#11), Italy (#14) and England (#20). The Philippines, enjoying its highest ranking so far, is the highest ranked Southeast Asian nation at #125.
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On a personal note, birthday greetings to my son Emil, who for the first time will be celebrating his 23rd birthday tomorrow, far away from us. Have a good one, Part, enjoy your day. God bless you and stay safe always.
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