Adidas AG extended its agreement with the NBA, giving the company
exclusive clothing rights to all apparel in Europe beginning with the
2010-2011 season. The company will make the products available to
the public beginning Oct. 1 to coincide with the tip-off of NBA Europe
Live.
Champion Europe Ltd. was previously the NBA’s apparel partner in the
region, a partnership that began in 1991. Although Adidas has been the
league’s uniform supplier since 2006, European fans were unable to buy
exact replicas of the jerseys worn by the league’s players since only
Champion’s rebranded versions were available in Europe.
“The NBA is the pinnacle of basketball – and every kid around the world
who dreams of playing pro ball aspires to reach that level,” said
Lawrence Norman, Vice President of adidas basketball. “Now, with the
exclusive global rights, we are able to help the NBA spread the love of
basketball around the world by bringing a piece of that dream to
everyone who loves the NBA.”
“The expansion of adidas apparel rights in Europe gives us a true
global partnership that aligns perfectly with our collective strategy to
continue growing the game of basketball,” said Sal LaRocca, Executive Vice President NBA Global Merchandising. “As the NBA continues to grow in popularity throughout Europe, authentic adidas NBA apparel will be available to more fans than ever before.”
adidas is in the fourth year of its 11-year global merchandising partnership as the official uniform and apparel provider for the NBA, WNBA, and NBA D-League. The NBA and adidas will support the partnership
through a mix of global marketing and media initiatives, including NBA
Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS in 2010, as well as grassroots events
and branded media programs throughout the 215 countries in which the
league distributes content.
The NBA has five of its 16 regional offices in Europe, with locations in Istanbul, London, Madrid, Milan, and Paris. The league has had a long history of playing games in the region, most notably through its current preseason tour, NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS, and has played a
total of 50 games on the continent to date. European players continue
to make a significant impact in the NBA, with the 48 European players
currently on NBA team rosters highlighted by the Dallas Mavericks Dirk
Nowitzki, the first European named NBA Most Valuable Player; the San
Antonio Spurs Tony Parker, the first European Most Valuable Player of
The Finals; and the Toronto Raptors Andrea Bargnani, the first European
No. 1 overall selection in the NBA Draft.
