adidas efforts to capture mindshare at the 2006 FIFA World Cup appear to be paying off. Football (soccer) sales are now over 1.2 billion ($1.45 billion), up more than 30% from 2005, and the tournament still has two weeks left. Three million replica jerseys were sold, which included 1.5 million jerseys of the German national team. adidas sold 1.5 million federation jerseys and 250,000 German jerseys at the 2002 World Cup. Over 15 million Match Balls of the 2006 FIFA World Cup have been sold worldwide, doubling the previous record of six million balls sold in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
To continue this momentum in the Soccer market beyond the World Cup, adidas has extended and expanded its involvement with UEFA. adidas has been granted global sponsorship rights to UEFA EURO and has extended their UEFA Champions League partnership by becoming the Official Ball Supplier for The League until 2009. adidas will have the rights to design and market exclusive UEFA branded sportswear and will continue to supply well over 1,000 volunteers with sportswear for the final and will support the UEFA Young Champions grassroots event.
In other adidas news, the company has taken over Reebok distribution rights in China from the former licensee of the brand, New Point Industrial. According to the agreement, adidas will hold the exclusive distribution rights for Reebok in China as of January 1, 2007. Financial details were kept confidential.
