Nike to Sponsor German Football Team?

American firm Nike are looking to oust German company Adidas, as sponsor of the German National team.

Nike, the largest maker of athletic apparel, has made an audacious bid to become the official provider of football equipment to the German national team.Adidas has been the official supplier of the German team since the 1954 World Cup, when Adidas supplied the German side with football boots with screw-in studs for the first time. Adidas said it had agreed with the National side to renew the contract until 2014, but it is claimed that a final deal was not completed. Should Nike confirm the deal with the German’s, the new contract would kick in from 2011.

Nike are said to be offering around 33 million British pounds per annum, over eight years from 2011 onwards as the national team equipment company. That is five times higher than the 7 million pound the German’s currently receive from Adidas.

Nike and Adidas are the heavyweights in the football equipment market. If Nike were able to steal Adidas’ prized possession, their own countries National team deal, it would be a major poke in the eye by Nike.