To celebrate the announcement adidas also turned various parts of the capital into unexpected sports venues. The Millennium Bridge became a 100m track, there was pole vaulting over London buses in Horse Guards Parade and gymnasts hung under Marble Arch. Flash Judo sprung up in Covent Garden, there was fencing on the Centre Point and BMX bikes raced around a track floating on the Thames.
The deal with adidas will see the sportswear company receive marketing and licensing rights to London 2012, providing kit for the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association in Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. In addition, during the Games in 2012, adidas will provide sportswear to Games Officials, London 2012 staff and volunteers. adidas will also have exclusive licensing rights for branded and unbranded sportswear at London 2012 venues and stores. The deal with London 2012 represents the biggest ever single event sponsorship investment by adidas in the UK.
adidas Global CEO Herbert Heiner, said “This is a fantastic opportunity for adidas and we’re excited to become a Tier One sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. We will play a major role in what promises to be one of the best sporting events the world has ever seen. We believe our deep involvement in the Games will help us to be the leading sports brand in the UK, the largest sportswear market in Europe.”
LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe welcomed adidas to the London 2012 family. “We extend a very warm welcome to adidas – they are a perfect partner for us as we share many common goals, including a vision to reach out and inspire young people in the UK and beyond. The team at LOCOG and I look forward to working with them over the next five years or so. One of our challenges as an organising committee is to raise £2bn to stage the Games in 2012 and our commercial programme is driving this.“
The British Olympic Association’s (BOA) CEO Simon Clegg, welcomed the opportunity to continue Team GB’s partnership with adidas. “adidas has supplied the kit and equipment to British Olympic athletes for over 20 years. Time and again they have proved they can deliver outstanding performance wear and technical equipment that give our athletes a competitive edge in the Olympic arena. Their knowledge and understanding of our Olympic sports is always an important asset as we prepare our teams for both Summer and Winter Games and for a number of Youth Olympic Festivals. The BOA and Olympic sports in this country are delighted that we will have the opportunity to continue this association with adidas through to and beyond London 2012.”
British Paralympic Association Chief Executive Phil Lane, said: “We are delighted that adidas has come on board as an official partner of the London 2012 Paralympic Games and will continue to supply first-class sportswear to our athletes. adidas has supplied the ParalympicsGB team with official kit since the BPA’s creation in 1989 and it has always proved to be of exceptional standard. We believe the technical quality and design of the kit provides our athletes with a performance edge and, as a result, we look forward to continuing to work with adidas to help our athletes have the best possible chances of success in Vancouver in 2010 and in front of a home crowd in London in 2012.”
adidas is also encouraging people to join in by setting their own challenge and demonstrating their sporting prowess. Whether it’s showing off BMX skills in the garden or beating your personal best for consecutive back flips, video clips can be shared and viewed at
http://www.adidas.com/london2012adidas becomes the third Tier One Partner for London 2012 after Lloyds TSB (Banking and Insurance Partner) and EDF Energy (Utilities Services Partner). The London 2012 Organising Committee is currently in discussions with a number of other leading companies that have expressed strong interest and expects to announce another partner shortly. The current ‘live’ Tier One sponsorship categories are oil and gas, automotive, telecommunications, airlines and clothing and homeware. The Worldwide Olympic Partners already signed up for 2012 are Coca-Cola, Atos Origin, GE, McDonalds, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.
– Ends – For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on
+44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at
www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our Work in Progress blog
http://blog.london2012.comNotes to editors - adidas will sponsor Team GB and Paralympics GB through to 2012 including the 2008 Beijing, 2010 Vancouver and 2010 World Youth Games
- adidas has worked with the BOA since 1984
- adidas’ investment will provide specially designed kit for all the Team GB athletes, the Paralympics GB athletes and 70,000 London 2012 volunteers
- adidas is expected to provide LOCOG with the largest amount of merchandise revenue from any licensee or sponsor through - the sale of adidas branded and unbranded sportswear
- adidas is the only brand that designs and develops product for 27 out of 28 Olympic sports (Beijing) and 25 out of 26 (London)