Adidas Extends NBA Partnership
adidas and the National Basketball Association have announced an extension of their global partnership giving adidas exclusive rights to all apparel in Europe beginning with the 2010-11 NBA season.
As part of the deal, a new range of adidas NBA products will be available beginning 1st October to coincide with the tip-off of NBA Europe Live presented by EA Sports.
Fans in Europe will be able to select from a comprehensive on-court collection, including the authentic, swingman, and replica versions of NBA player jerseys, as well as authentic team warm-up collections, shooting shirts, official practice wear and adidas TECHFIT base layer compression and padded compression undergarments.
The adidas Originals brand will offer NBA Soul Swingman jerseys inspired by the NBA’s line of Hardwood Classics Nights products and feature jerseys for some of the most popular NBA legends.
The entire apparel collection is designed to coordinate with adidas’ comprehensive range of NBA performance and lifestyle footwear.
adidas is in the fourth year of its 11-year global merchandising partnership as the official uniform and apparel provider for the NBA, WNBA, and NBA D-League.
The NBA and adidas will support the partnership through a mix of global marketing and media initiatives, including NBA Europe Live presented by EA Sports in 2010, as well as grassroots events and branded media programs throughout the 215 countries in which the league distributes content.
The NBA has five of its 16 regional offices in Europe, with locations in Istanbul, London, Madrid, Milan, and Paris.
The league has had a long history of playing games in the region, most notably through its current preseason tour – NBA Europe Live presented by EA Sports, and has played a total of 50 games on the continent to date.
European players continue to make a significant impact in the NBA, with the 48 European players currently on NBA team rosters highlighted by the Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki, the first European named NBA Most Valuable Player; the San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker, the first European Most Valuable Player of The Finals; and the Toronto Raptors’ Andrea Bargnani, the first European No. 1 overall selection in the NBA Draft.
