Why Did Manchester United Snub Nike & Sign Deal With Rivals Adidas?

Times were different a decade ago when Manchester United pulled the strings on and off the field. The club is currently going through a challenging phase. But it was in the early 2010s that things were changing for them. On the other hand, Adidas and Nike dominated the battle of the sporting merchandise. But what made Manchester United ditch Nike for Adidas in its long-term partnership?

Soccer is one of the biggest goldmines in sports across the globe. The beautiful game continues to become the most impactful sport globally, with more than 3.5 billion fans cheering on. Using this as an opportunity, the two sporting brands developed into the largest powerhouses. However, Manchester United turned out to be a giant killer for Nike.

Manchester United split with Nike in a war of giants

Manchester United were the most followed Premier League club in the 2000s and 2010s. But following Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, the club rapidly declined in its performance on the field. But off the field, it was still making colossal hits, especially with the sponsors. In one such incident, United had to leave Nike because they acquired a more reasonable deal from Adidas, according to Bleacher Report.

Apparently, the German brand got an upgrade from its home team as they won the World Cup in 2014. Moreover, the brand was also the kit sponsor for Argentina, so both the finalists, gluing their hands with Adidas, made an impact. Manchester United’s new deal involved around 1.2 to 1.3 billion dollars for over ten years.

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Back in the day, Manchester United’s official website announced, “Manchester United has reached a ten-year agreement with Adidas for a global technical sponsorship and dual branded licensing deal.” The terms with Nike did not end well, as they could not see any reasonable benefit for their side with the renewal. Similar to losing Lionel Messi, they lost the ball with the Red Devils. The American brand was so disgruntled that it did not give United an option to withdraw a year earlier to establish their new deal immediately.

Manchester United’s new era after Sir Alex Ferguson

The previous deal with Nike spanned 12 years. United enjoyed some outstanding success during that period. Winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League, the Red Devils were the best club on the land. However, after Sir Alex’s retirement after the 2013 season, things transformed for United.

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Notably, Nike had two years left after Sir Alex departed, but the club hasn’t managed to win a single league title since. Their last victory in the Premier League came in the 2012/13 season. Even though the club had won other trophies like the Europa League, it did not win a Champions League or Premier League. The club will, however, look to settle its issues with the owners being under constant fire.