HERZOGENAURACH, Germany — Adidas, the world’s second-largest sporting-goods maker, increased a forecast for record soccer-related revenue this year after sales of World Cup team jerseys more than doubled compared with the 2006 tournament.
Soccer sales will be at least $1.85 billion this year, chief executive Herbert Hainer said Monday. That would beat the record $1.6 billion from 2008, when the last European soccer championship was played.
Adidas is sponsoring 12 teams at the month-long World Cup in South Africa as well as the tournament itself. The company is vying for leadership in the world’s most popular sport with larger rival Nike, which outfits 10 nations under its own and the Umbro brand.
“In terms of sales, market share and visibility, Adidas is and will remain the leading football brand,” Hainer said. Bloomberg News
By the numbers
$10.8 billion
Global sales of soccer products in 2008 worldwide
$125 million
What Adidas spends annually on sponsorship deals with FIFA, soccer’s governing body, and six top teams
$75 million
What rival Nike spends annually on five leading teams
Source: SPORT+MARKT
