Adidas expects its sales of team jerseys to "set a record" around the World Cup in Russia this year, "despite the host country being sanction-hit and several big-name contenders not qualifying," according to Richard Weiss of BLOOMBERG. Experts predict the absence of traditional football "powers" Italy and the Netherlands, along with the failure of the U.S. and Turkey to qualify, "will hold back sales of World Cup merchandise." Adidas said that the overall financial impact from the tournament will not "match that of the Brazil edition four years ago." However, for shirts, the "most prominent seller among such gear," unit sales will outpace the 8 million adidas sold in '14, CEO Kasper Rørsted predicted. Adidas will also sell 10 million official tournament balls, down from 14.5 million four years ago, according to German football consultant PR Marketing. Another factor that is expected to "weigh" on sales of World Cup-related merchandise is the "economic crises of tournament host Russia." Amid sanctions following President Vladimir Putin's move to annex Crimea, adidas sales in the country "have fallen by nearly half" since '14 (BLOOMBERG, 6/5).
