Adidas has merged its lifestyle and performance units within basketball and is moving basketball operations from Portland, OR to Los Angeles. The moves are expected to better position the brand for growth in the basketball category.
The news was first reported by Business Insider.
“Basketball is an important area for us and we’re focused on growing that part of our business,” the company said in a statement attained by the Portland Business Journal. “We’ve merged our Lifestyle and Performance functions within our basketball business to form one Adidas Basketball team. This will help us react more quickly to the needs of our basketball consumers globally.”
“We always seek new opportunities to connect with our consumers and improve how we work,” Adidas added in the statement. “The move is designed to empower our employees to make decisions faster and foster even more collaboration and creativity. Our people are the heart of our company and we are committed to supporting them throughout this transition.”
The basketball division in Los Angeles is expected to be led by Jerry Lorenzo, the founder of the Fear of God’s streetwear brand who was appointed Adidas’ global head of basketball in December. Recruiting in the area has started.
An Adidas spokesperson told Business Insider that combining its lifestyle and performance business functions will help Adidas “form one Adidas basketball team” in its go-to-market approach to the sport. The spokesperson described Los Angeles as a “key strategic city where basketball is ingrained in the culture.”
Photo courtesy Adidas
