The Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund Saturday at London's Wembley stadium "isn’t the only all-German contest," according to Julie Cruz of BLOOMBERG. The crosstown rivals that supply their uniforms "will face off in the latest chapter of a fight that’s even older than Europe’s most prestigious club tournament." Adidas outfits favorite Munich, whose three-stripe logo "has appeared in five of the last 10 finals." Dortmund’s supplier, Puma, will see its first final since '04. Bankhaus Metzler analyst Sebastian Frericks said backing the winner of the first all-German final “is much more important for Puma than adidas.” Frericks: "Puma is not able to invest the same amount of money into sponsorship as adidas and Nike, so they have to pick their teams very carefully." According to research by investment bank Bryan Garnier & Co., the game provides exposure for the two brands to millions of fans watching on TV, and the victor will likely get a “small” boost from sales of replica jerseys. Still, Commerzbank AG analyst Andreas Riemann said that success for Dortmund "would do little to change Puma’s image as more of a purveyor of casual gear," rather than equipment and shoes that give athletes an edge. Riemann: "Puma is still struggling. In soccer, they probably won’t catch up with adidas" (BLOOMBERG, 5/23).
