When Adidas offered Manchester United a 10-year world record £750m deal to take over as the club’s kit manufacturers from Nike, many thought that the German sportswear giant had seriously overpaid for the rights.
But if early indications for the demand of United’s new adidas jerseys are any indication, Adidas might have gotten a bargain!
Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer spoke about United’s kit launch during a conference call following an announcement of their Q2 results to the stock exchange and reveled that sales broke United’s megastore record by almost 50 per cent.
‘Last Saturday we reunited with Manchester United, one of the most popular and successful football teams in the world, and unveiled their new home jersey,’ he said.
‘The initial response has really blown us away as it has exceeded all expectations in both the club’s and our own brand channels.
‘The Old Trafford Megastore saw a record demand for a non-match day, almost 50% up on the previous record.’
Hainer added that online orders were up four times on the previous record.
‘The Man U e-com channels formed United Direct, so equally high demand, 4 times up on the previous record kit launch,’ he revealed.
A delighted Hainer hailed the ‘unprecedented demand’ and added that adidas’s wholesale partners had ‘experienced the biggest-ever launch day on Saturday’.
‘This success confirms again that Man United is not just a football club,’ he added.
‘With more than 650 million fans globally, it is, without doubt, one of the world’s most supported sports symbols. This special club has not only a rich history, but also a reputation for success and the unexpected.’
Adidas are expected to reveal United’s two away kits on August 11.
I believe that Unite’s new deal pays the club for every kit sold, in addition to the £75m that United will receive, showing one again that United’s commercial operations are the best in sports.
