Nike Offers $778M To Oust adidas As Germany Soccer Sponsor

Zwanziger Says That Nike Has Offered $778M To Sponsor German National Soccer Team

German Soccer Federation (GSF) President Theo Zwanziger announced that Nike has offered an eight-year, US$778M deal to sponsor the national team’s jerseys, according to Tromm & Bhatia of BLOOMBERG NEWS. Zwanziger added that GSF’s current deal with adidas, which has sponsored the federation for more than 50 years, “is worth about a sixth of that.” adidas execs including Chair & CEO Herbert Hainer met the GSF yesterday “to discuss the future of their alliance.” adidas claims that its agreement runs until 2014, while the GSF “suggests the contract expires in 2010.” Zwanziger: “We can only reject a new, much more lucrative offer from Nike if there’s a binding agreement with adidas.” The GSF is “prepared to send the matter” to an independent arbitrator (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 1/30). In Portland, Helen Jung notes Nike’s deal to sponsor the Brazilian national team, which expires in 2018, is reportedly worth $12M annually, not including bonuses. Nike’s proposed deal with the German team is “also worth more than every single NBA franchise,” according to Forbes’ valuations, all but the Yankees in MLB and the “bottom five NHL franchises put together” (OREGONIAN, 1/31).