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Andre wears Adidas!!

3K views 37 replies 15 participants last post by  Gigan 
#1 ·
:eek:

Discuss!! I'll post picture later to prove it lol
 
#5 ·
Updated: July 25, 2005, 5:30 PM ET
Agassi signs adidas deal after long-term deal with Nike

By Darren Rovell
ESPN.com


When Andre Agassi takes the court on Tuesday for his second-round match in the Mercedes-Benz Cup in Los Angeles, astute tennis fans will notice a change -- his clothes.




Agassi will be sporting a new brand at the Mercedes Benz Cup.

Adidas announced on Monday that the company has signed the 35-year-old to a long-term partnership. Agassi will wear adidas footwear and apparel, but much of the agreement includes giving products and financial support to the tennis star's foundation.

"I'm excited about my new partnership with adidas," Agassi said in a statement. "Our relationship not only means that I will be working with one of the best brands in the world but, more importantly, also provides support to my foundation."

The Agassi Foundation was founded in 1994 and has since become one of the most active philanthropic organizations run by an athlete. From 1996-2003, public records show that the foundation contributed $29 million to causes related to underprivileged and abused children.

"If there's a heaven, this guy is going there," said Martyn Brewer, director of sports marketing for adidas America. "His commitment to kids is beyond compare."

The move from Nike to adidas might befuddle some tennis fans. Perhaps no other athlete, aside from Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, is more identified with the Swoosh.

"Andre Agassi and Nike is as indelible of a connection that a brand and athlete can have," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. "It's going to be a challenge to undo that."

"It's great that he will be wearing adidas for some upcoming tournaments," Brewer said. "But this deal is more about using tennis as a vehicle to help children instead of Andre being the face of adidas."

Agassi turned pro in 1986, but Nike didn't sign him to his first contract until 1988.

The following year, as he surpassed $1 million in career earnings, Nike cashed in on headbands and bleached denim shorts at retail thanks to Agassi. He loved his neon pink so much that he refused to play at Wimbledon because of the All England Club's all-white dress code.

"Nike has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Andre Agassi, one of the greatest players in the sport," said Nike spokesperson Dean Stoyer.

Agassi's tagline became "Image is Everything," thanks to a Canon commercial that he starred in that used the line. Years later, he said he regretted that it became his unofficial motto.

"I think that phrase itself wasn't reflective of who I was, even then," Agassi told the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2000. "It's sad to say, even in saying the line and filming the campaign, it never quite occurred to me what was being said or expressed. Some lessons you have to learn a tough way. That certainly was one of them."

Throughout the course of his career, Agassi has won 59 career titles, including eight Grand Slam crowns. He won the U.S. Open in 2002, but he has only won two titles since then.

According to Forbes Magazine, Agassi was due about $40 million in Nike stock at the conclusion of his contract, which expired in January. A Nike source indicated that Agassi was paid in full as specified by his contract, but there was no stock payment involved. Agassi's agent, Perry Rogers, did not return a call seeking comment.

Even though she has been retired since August 1999, adidas still has Steffi Graf, whom Agassi married in 2001, under contract. Graf and Agassi have recently starred in commercials for Genworth Financial. The most recent spot features an actor playing their 3-year-old son taking on pro Taylor Dent. Brewer said that adidas might team the two in a commercial, though it's too early too tell.

After pulling out of Wimbledon because of a back injury, Agassi said he would talk about retirement at the end of the season. Despite the likelihood that he will end his tennis career in the near future, Agassi still has active endorsement deals. He has nine years left on a deal with 24-Hour Fitness and a lifetime contract with Head rackets.

Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at Darren.rovell@espn3.com. Check out his Sports Business Blog.
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:wavey: Andre Agassi forever :wavey:
 
#8 ·
Press Release Source: adidas


Andre Agassi and adidas Enter Agreement
Monday July 25, 4:29 pm ET


LOS ANGELES and HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Tennis superstar Andre Agassi and adidas have entered into a long-term partnership starting with the Mercedes-Benz Cup in Los Angeles on July 25. As of today, he will be exclusively wearing adidas footwear and apparel.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050725/SFM082 )

"I'm excited about my new partnership with adidas. Our relationship not only means that I will be working with one of the best brands in the world but, more importantly, also provides support to my foundation. Together, we will be able to give more at-risk kids a chance to succeed," said Andre Agassi about the partnership with adidas.

"We are very much looking forward to what this new partnership will mean beyond our business in the traditional sense, especially in the US, for many years to come. Andre is indisputably one of the biggest athletes of the 21st century and we are excited to support Andre not only with the best product on court, but also through his foundation. We will be working closely with him on various initiatives well beyond the sport of tennis," said Erich Stamminger, member of the Executive Board of adidas-Salomon AG responsible for Global Marketing.

This agreement also offers a wide range of marketing opportunities as the world's most famous sports couple, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, are now part of the adidas family. Steffi Graf, who has been with adidas throughout her career, has just like Andre been one of the most successful and admired athletes in the world.

It can be said that no other brand has been so closely associated with so many athletes in so many sports over so many years as adidas since Adi Dassler produced his first 'sports' shoes in 1920. Since then, adidas has built and underlined its leadership in the global sports arena with only one focused mission, and that is to provide every athlete with the best possible equipment and gear. In tennis, top athletes such as recently signed Andre Agassi, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Marat Safin and Guillermo Coria as well as adidas ambassadors such as Steffi Graf, Stan Smith, Ilie Nastase and Martina Hingis wear state-of-the art adidas tennis products.
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:wavey: Andre Agassi forever :wavey:
 
#11 · (Edited)
Tennis

Agassi ditches swoosh


July 26, 2005

AFTER 17 seasons wearing a swoosh, Andre Agassi has parted ways with Nike in favour of a sponsorship deal with rival adidas.



The 35-year-old American announced the sponsorship switch to the German firm here today at a $US380,000 ($A499,146) ATP hardcourt event where he hopes to play his first match since an opening-round loss at the French Open.

A nagging sciatic nerve problem has kept Agassi off the court since May, keeping him out of Wimbledon for the second year in a row, and fuelled rumours that his days on the ATP Tour might be numbered.


Agassi, the top seed here and scheduled to play next week in Washington, now will use the same clothing and footwear brand as his wife, German tennis star Steffi Graf, who still has a sponsorship deal five years after her retirement.


"I'm excited about my new partnership," Agassi said.

Reuters
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:wavey: Andre Agassi forever :wavey:
 
#20 ·
Agassi leaves Nike for Adidas
Andre Agassi has left Nike after being with the company since 1988. Nike officials told Bob Larson's Daily Tennis that Agassi parted with Nike in January.

Recent commercials showing Agassi and his wife, Steffi Graf, caused wonderment since no Nike logos were showing on his apparel.

In the 1990s, Nike had signed Agassi to a 10-year contract said to pay Agassi $100 million. Since that time his contracts were for shorter periods of time. Talk on the street said that the most recent contract for Agassi to receive $40 million in Nike stock if he would play until 2005.
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:wavey: Andre Agassi forever :wavey:
 
#21 · (Edited)
July 26, 2005 latimes.com : Sports : Tennis Print
Drop Shot: Agassi Leaves Nike for Adidas
By Lisa Dillman, Times Staff Writer



Andre Agassi has ended his long-term association with clothing and shoe manufacturing giant Nike, signing a multiyear deal with Adidas.

The agreement is for three years, according to Agassi's agent, Perry Rogers. Rogers said today the driving force behind the deal was the willingness of Adidas to also support Agassi's charitable foundation and other initiatives.


"This isn't just some pastime for Andre," Rogers said of the foundation. "[The move] puts Andre and Steffi [Graf] in the same gear. One family and one brand."

Agassi's wife, retired tennis great Steffi Graf, wore Adidas for her entire playing career. Graf appeared at an Adidas function the day before the French Open in May, playing a mixed doubles exhibition with Justine Henin-Hardenne.

The change for the 35-year-old Agassi was to be announced later today at a news conference at the Mercedes-Benz Cup at UCLA. Agassi has been practicing in Los Angeles this past week, wearing Adidas gear, and the sight of him in non-Nike attire was somewhat jarring.

"I'm excited about my new partnership with Adidas," said Agassi in a statement released by the German-based company. "Our relationship not only means that I will be working with one of the best brands in the world but, more importantly, also provides support to my foundation.

"Together, we will be able to give more at-risk kids a chance to succeed."

Agassi's association with Nike goes back to the start of his playing career. He created a big splash and generated attention by wearing signature Nike denim shorts in 1988. He famously called a French Open official "a bozo" when the official criticized Agassi for wearing fluorescent tennis garb at Roland Garros in 1990.

Of late, Nike seems to be shifting focus in its tennis approach. Lleyton Hewitt of Australia could not come to agreement with the company on a new deal in recent weeks. Nike's two biggest stars are the top two players in the world, Roger Federer of Switzerland and Rafael Nadal of Spain.
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:wavey: Andre Agassi forever :wavey:
 
#26 ·
I actually wear NIKE myself but Andre looks good in just about anything and I kind of like the blue shirt on him alot. The sneaks are cool but I will continue to wear the old NIKE ones that he wore before he switched. The switch was made with one thing in mind - the children at his school. He is not looking for money - he is looking to get money for the school in the form of products and other items. I work for soccer and adidas supports alot of children and the sports connected with them. They are one of our biggest sponsors and they have never let us down. NIKE is great but they did not offer Andre what he wanted for his school. It is that simple - call him whatever you want but he had no motive other than getting something for his school kids.
 
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