Iconic sportswear brand Admiral relaunched its "once-prolific clothing line exclusively at Sainsbury's," according to Jonathan Wells of the London TELEGRAPH. Admiral's "heyday" was the '70s and '80s, "when football figureheads such as Kevin Keegan and Billy Bremner regularly played in the brand's attire." A "groundbreaking firm, which began life as an underwear manufacturer" in '14, Admiral began making kit for League Championship side Leeds United in the early '70s, which became the first English team to wear the kitmaker's logo on its shirts and shorts. Admiral was also a pioneer in the replica kit market, doing a deal with the FA in '73, worth £15,000 a year. But it was not long "before it began to be outpaced by its rivals," such as Umbro and a rapidly growing adidas. Admiral was declared bankrupt in '82. Since then, "an almost silent takeover has changed the nature of the sports clothing market, which is now dominated by a small number of superpowers" -- Puma, New Balance and Under Armour have a "toe-hold," but it is adidas and Nike that "rule the roost." While a "few retro sports labels," including FILA and Hummel, have undergone a "successful rebirth in recent years," and with even adidas cashing in on the "nostalgia sportswear boom" with its Originals "heritage" line, it is "a risky corporate strategy." Admiral's relaunch is a "case in point: it's more casual menswear than sportswear." The range "seems to be an admission that competing with the sportswear giants" of adidas and Nike is "futile" (TELEGRAPH, 7/15).
