Late last week, adidas confirmed that it will become the official sportswear sponsor of the 2012 Olympics in London after reports surfaced earlier in the week that the company would partner with the Games in a deal valued at approximately £100 million ($200 mm). The company did not confirm the amount of the deal when it announced that it would be a tier one sponsor along with Lloyds/TSB and energy firm EDF, but did say that it would be the exclusive supplier of branded and unbranded sports merchandise to all London 2012 venues and stores, in addition to providing apparel for the approximately 70,000 volunteers needed to man the Games.


adidas said the partnership with London 2012 will be the biggest single investment it has ever put into a United Kingdom sporting event. The agreement with London 2012 will see adidas provide more than 1.4 million products to federations, volunteers, officials and others. It will be the third consecutive Games that Adidas has fulfilled this role.


On the new partnership, LOCOG chairman Lord Sebastian Coe said, “In adidas we have a partner that not only understands the audience but also understands sport. The long adidas association with the Olympic Games makes them the perfect fit for the sportswear category. No other sportswear brand can claim to be actively involved in 25 of the 26 Olympic sports that will be on show at London 2012. adidas has the ability to communicate and engage with all audiences young and old which will ensure that, together, we can inspire and excite everyone over the next five years and beyond.”