adidas wants to "sign dozens of deals with U.S. sports stars in coming years, hoping that will provide a more lasting boost to sales than the current fashion fad for its retro sneakers," according to Emma Thomasson of REUTERS. adidas North America President Mark King has put a "big focus on signing top athletes in sports like American football, basketball and baseball" since taking the job in '14. King: "When you do well in football in the United States, it is like doing well in soccer in Germany. ... The more grounded that we are in America, in American sports, the more success we're going to have." King said he was firmly focused on "winning the locker room." But he wants to "tie performance and lifestyle together." King: "We're a brand that can take care of you when you play your game and we can also make you look cool when you come off the pitch." Thomasson noted the drive to sign hundreds of U.S. sports stars "comes at a time that Nike is threatening adidas' dominance in the soccer business." King said that adidas' market share for American football cleats has "risen significantly, helped by a partnership with rapper Snoop Dogg who launched eye-catching shoes in March with a dollar bill pattern and shiny gold soles" (REUTERS, 5/19).
