BERLIN — German sporting goods giant Adidas AG predicts it will net $1.86 billion in sales of balls, jerseys and shoes linked to the World Cup in South Africa this year.
The company, based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, said Monday that its soccer gear sales were up more than 15 percent compared with 2008, when the European championship was held. The company reported a 26 percent jump in sales of soccer products for the first quarter of 2010.
The company said it has sold more than 6.5 million replica jerseys, led by bestsellers from Germany, Mexico, South Africa and Argentina. Adidas equips 12 teams competing at this year’s tournament.
Adidas is vying for leadership in the world’s most popular sport with larger rival Nike Inc., which outfits 10 nations under its own and the Umbro brand.
“In terms of sales, market share and visibility, Adidas is and will remain the leading football brand,” Chief Executive Officer Herbert Hainer said. The company has a global market share of 34 percent, more than any other maker of soccer products, the CEO said, citing figures collected by market researcher NPD Group.
Business, Pages 26 on 06/22/2010