adidas chief hits back at World Cup ball criticism
adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer has insisted that criticism of the Jabulani World Cup ball has not harmed the company’s brand.Players and managers have slammed the ball for being hard to control and unpredictable in the air.
But Hainer said: “This is always the case that before the World Cup there are some complaints, mainly from goalkeepers. It is quite clear the ball is faster, because the ball is rounder. Players have to get used to it. We like that people are talking about our products.”
For the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, adidas will try to make the ball easier to control, while maintaining its speed, Hainer revealed. Adidas has provided the tournament match ball since 1970.
“With the technology we have, we can keep the ball as fast as it is today, and we can make it very usable for every player,” he added.
adidas and Nike, the world’s two largest sporting goods makers, said they experienced a “double-digit” sales boost from the World Cup.
adidas’s sponsorship of the event will help it record football-related sales of 1.5bn Euros this year – an increase of 15 per cent on the European Championship two years ago, Hainer said. It has sold 6.5 million replica jerseys and 13 million Jabulani balls.
“There is no doubt that adidas is the winner of the World Cup,” Hainer continued. “It doesn’t matter whether you take it in exposure for the brand, in terms of sales, or in terms of market share.”
However, Nike brand president Charlie Denson claimed that more than half the players involved in the tournament in South Africa were wearing his company’s boots.
“It’s been our best World Cup ever,” he said. “In the last quarter, Nike brand football sales were up 40 per cent.”
Callaway Golf footwear line with OrthoLite insoles
OrthoLite, the leader of open cell foam insoles, will be featured in the majority of Callaway Golf Company's 2011 line-up of men's and women's footwear products. Callaway Golf's footwear will include the unparalleled benefits of OrthoLite performance, including breathability, moisture control, anti-microbial properties, and long term cushioning."We share Callaway Golf's dedication to improving performance for golfers at any level," said Pamela Gelsomini, OrthoLite President. "We're thrilled that OrthoLite can add unsurpassed comfort to Callaway Golf's reputation for the most innovative golf products on the market."
Consumers will be able to easily identify styles that offer OrthoLite comfort by looking for the logo on the shoe's insole. The Callaway Golf footwear line with OrthoLite insoles will be available on November 1, 2010 at golf retailers nationwide and online.
About OrthoLite: OrthoLite, headquartered in Amherst, MA, is the world's leading supplier of open cell foam insoles found in more than 100 million shoes each year including, Asics, New Balance, Merrell, Nike, Puma, Vans and Timberland. OrthoLite combines polyurethane and recycled rubber to provide superior cushioning, comfort, breathability and durability. OrthoLite insoles can now be purchased through a partnership with Amazon. For every pair of insoles sold, OrthoLite will donate $1 to the Level Field Fund, a grant-giving program that strives to bridge gaps in funding to uniquely talented athletes.
Celtic signs new Nike deal
Celtic will become the first club in Scotland to play in a recycled kit after agreeing a new deal with Nike.The club’s shirts will be made of polyester from recycled plastic bottles.
Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Manchester United also wear the environmentally friendly kits.
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said: "It's important we all do what we can to assist the environment and we therefore fully support the great work Nike has achieved in relation to our new kit.”
