Sports are more than just the game that is played. Sports are a politicized arena where tactical decisions are made that influence more than those playing the game.
In February, the 2011 NBA MVP, Derrick Rose, signed a $185 million sponsorship deal with Adidas. This deal was reached with a purpose of helping Adidas compete with Nike in the U.S. basketball shoe market. Nike currently dominates this market thanks to the popular (Michael) Jordan brand, as well as endorsements by Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant.
However, Adidas' dreams came crashing down when Derrick Rose suffered a torn ACL in the first playoff game of the offseason against the Philadelphia 76ers. Rose is now out for the remainder of the playoffs. But that's not even the worst news for Adidas. Rose was scheduled to play in the 2012 summer Olympics in London, but will now be sidelined. This is a huge blow to Adidas, as they were counting on Rose's endorsement at the biggest sporting event in the world to showcase their brand. The Olympics will now be full of Nike endorsements from some of the biggest names in basketball. Adidas faces the challenge of building their brand without a superstar behind it.
This just goes to show how fast circumstances can change, and how being prepared for adversity is the key to success, both on and off the court. How Adidas overcomes this setback will determine a great deal about the future strength of their brand image as well as their race against Nike. So yes, there is more to sports than just the game that is played.
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