Labyrinth of brands: the battle continues
ANDIt’s hard to understand the world of professional sports without the almighty brands that accompany it. The struggle to obtain as many stars as possible and thus secure strong ties has already become a classic among large multinational corporations in this sector. Lamin Yamal and his new “contract” with Adidas This is the last closed front in a spectacular global panorama.
A little over a year ago, attention also turned to Vinicius. following a tussle with Nike that kept the North American brand on edge during a difficult encounter with a Real Madrid player. The Brazilian even painted his boots black as a sign of protest, pulling on a rope that did not break thanks to the final agreement between them.
Haaland’s move to find the highest bidder has caused a new earthquake in football. The Norwegian’s contract with Nike ended in 2022 and since then he has devoted himself to “playing” with Adidas and Puma, showing articles from these companies on social networks. Such was the pressure that Nike eventually gold-plated the Manchester City forward with a contract equal to Cristiano Ronaldo’s own.
If we focus on Real Madrid. Or rather, in the future Real Madrid. We find perhaps the two best representatives of Adidas and Nike in football: Bellingham and Mbappe.. With Messi and Benzema approaching their end, the Englishman is currently the burning nail that the German brand in football is clinging to. Meanwhile, the Frenchman is set to break all Nike records with his arrival in the Spanish capital next summer.
HIGHEST PAID FOOTBALL PLAYERS
- Neymar – Puma (26 million)
- Leo Messi – Adidas (21 m)
- Cristiano Ronaldo – Nike (17M)
- Kylian Mbappe – Nike (16 months)
- Vinicius-Nike (7M)
But in the world of football marketing there are more open fights. And the main complaint of the fan, on which every year clubs and brands earn millions and millions of euros, is T-shirts.. And this is where Adidas seems to have an advantage. He controls three of the top five clubs in the Football Benchmark rankings. Moreover, according to reports from Barcelona, the Catalan club’s contract with Nike will be under real threat.
“We have an undesirable situation because they are not replacing our material and because our competitors are paying us twice what Nike is paying us.“, Laporta himself assured Rac1.
Puma will complete the podium with the City jersey as the “jewel in the crown” and control of classic teams such as Milan or Borussia Dortmund, while the British Castore and Umbro They would round out the top five largest clubs in their lineups.
“Big Shot” by Salma
Among women, the latest big hit was the Spanish woman. Salma Paralluelo. Having soared at the last World Cup and established herself as one of the stars of “super Barça”, the Aragonese left Adidas after a head-turning offer from Nike that put her at the top of the queen. Alexia Putellas.
But men (and women) live for more than just football. In fact, in other sports, euros and dollars tend to be even better. Patrick Mahomesthe best American football player in the world at the moment, gets 20 million every season for being an Adidas ambassador; Tom Brady Now retired, he earns more than 10 million a year with Under Armor, which also signed a media deal with the Vikings’ wide receiver. Justin Jefferson.
Carlitos can break the market
Spanish tennis phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz He left Lotto at 16 after Nick knocked on his door. Now he is rubbing his hands over the need to renew his contract with the North American brand at the end of 2025. It is assumed that the Murcian could become the highest paid in the history of tennis. exceeding the 10 million that Federer (Uniqlo), Nadal (Nike) and Djokovic (Lacoste) receive, and the 15 that Sinner just signed with Nike.
American on the women’s team Coco Gauff close to taking “sorpasso” to the top of the rankings thanks to a new contract with New Ballance that threatens the supremacy of the untouchables Naomi Osaka. The Japanese woman broke all the records of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova after switching from Adidas to Nike, and now she has returned to the racetrack after the birth of her first child.
Another gem of New Ballance American sports is the athletes. Sydney McLaughlin. The current world and Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles receives almost two million a year from the sports company. Sidney is the visible face of the very powerful USA Track & Field team along with Noah Lyles who also has a good figure from Adidas.
Basketball and its iconic sneakers are in the midst of a special battle to sign a star. The emergence of other opportunities such as Skechers (Julios Rundle) or Under Armor who expanded their arsenal with the arrival of Joel Embiid, expanded their range a little more.
LeBron James or Kevin Durant They remain loyal to Nike, while others, such as Luka Doncic or Zion Williamson, have moved to Jordan Brand (another Nike line).
Famous NBA players
- LeBron James (Nike)
- Kevin Durant (Nike)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Nike)
- James Harden (Adidas)
- Damian Lillard (Adidas)
- Donovan Mitchell (Adidas)
- Zion Williamson (Jordan Brand)
- Luka Doncic (Jordan Brand)
- Jayson Tatum (Jordan Brand)
- Steph Curry (Under Armor)
- Joel Embiid (Under Armor)
- Kawhi Leonard (New Balance)
- LaMelo Ball (Puma)
“Rarity” in times of crisis
This is not the best moment for large classic brands. The economic crisis caused by the pandemic has hit very hard, causing a truly delicate problem for many of them. The stock market’s woes continue to keep their values far from the MSCI world. Adidas, Under Armour, Puma, Nike… no one is spared. Or rather, almost no one. And that’s what Lululemon turned out to be the only exception to the general bad times.
Lululemon’s strong presence on social media under the name “Tik Tok”, a stated policy of sustainable formats and a strong commitment to women’s sports have made the Canadian firm a rarity among the giants. Except, He’s already begun signing sports stars like Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf and golfer Lydia Ko.
The problem is real. Last week, Nike reported results for the final quarter of 2023 and announced it would lay off 2% of its workforce to cut costs due to lower sales forecasts. Its CEO, John Donahue, says they start to suffer while they’re running: “That’s the area where we have the most work.” And emerging companies such as France’s Hoka and Switzerland’s On are beginning to gain market share at the expense of Nike or Adidas. Are changes starting?