Adidas wants mediation for DFB contract

Adidas is seeking mediation over a contract it signed with the DFB, the German football federation, making it the official supplier of the club. The DFB received a very profitable offer from Nike, a rival of Adidas.

Adidas insists that a previous contract was extended in August 2006 until at least 2014, while the DFB claims the contract ends in 2011. Both sides have consulted legal experts to defend each one's position.

Adidas said in a statement that it had been unable to reach an agreement with DFB and that it was taking the matter to arbitration "to achieve an objective decision in a timely manner."

German news report that Adidas had doubled its sponsorship offer to EUR 22 million a year and although the DFB has acknowledged a new offer, it has not given any details.

The new offer is still much lower than the one by Nike, the world's largest maker of sports apparel, which is making an aggressive push into football.

Nike has offered EUR 500 million for an eight-year deal, plus EUR 100 million in other benefits.

German news reports said Nike has invited a DFB delegation to visit its headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.