Leicester City could be upgraded Adidas ‘B’ team

[Fox in the North]

I’ve come across an interesting article on Footy Headlines on how Adidas grade teams for their kit contracts. It would appear we could be in for a tidy upgrade if we keep up our success! 

 

https://cdn.footyheadlines.com/amp/4920942976160118821?m=0&suamw=dUHjZ&__twitter_impression=true

 

Adidas' Pyramid Of Football Kit Sponsorship - A Teams, B Teams, Standard, Third Party & Not Affiliated

In September 2020, we gave you an overview of the different level of Nike's football team sponsorship deals. It was quite well received by you, our readers. So we decided to also take a look at the Adidas "Pyramid Of Football Kit Sponsorship", revealing that there are some differences to Nike, and those differences are not only the sponsored teams.

 

Adidas Levels Of Football Sponsorship

Similar to Nike, Adidas has four levels of football team partnerships - A Teams, B Teams, Standard & Third-Party. Interestingly, Adidas' second-tier clubs are internally called 'B Teams', while there is no "official" name for top teams - we call them 'A teams / Premium Teams' here.
 

As it is the case with Nike and all other brands, there is also a fifth level, of which Adidas is not responsible - clubs that buy their shirts themselves.
 

the transition between the different levels is quite fluid for AdidasIt is important to note that the transition between the different levels is quite fluid (for all except the first tier) - for our listing, we used information from Adidas' catalogs, the brand's stores, press releases as well as some internal info.

 

A Teams - 5 Clubs

Adidas A Teams are on the brand's highest level. Adidas just has five 'A Clubs' - Arsenal, Bayern, Juventus, Man Utd, and Real Madrid.

Flamengo is not A Team in 2020 - they did not get a special Humanrace jersey, and they are also called 'B Team' in Adidas' catalog.

 

Adidas A Teams:

Arsenal, Bayern, Juventus, Man Utd, and Real Madrid

B Teams - Around 10 Clubs - (e.g. Flamengo, Ajax, Bordeaux):

B Teams are on the second level of Adidas' pyramid. B Teams get custom kit designs as well as a range of other bespoke products that are also available in various countries and many of the brand's official stores.

Leicester City could soon be an Adidas B TeamLeicester City is on the verge of becoming an Adidas B Team, Union Berlin as well.

 

Adidas B Teams (Examples): Ajax,Besiktas, Fenerbahce, Flamengo, Hamburg, Lyon, Orlando Pirates, River Plate

 

Standard Teams - Dozens Of Clubs - (e.g. Wolves, Cardiff City, Melbourne Victory)

Standard teams have a direct contract with Adidas but are not in the official catalogs of the brand. Their kits are also only sold domestically most times.

Adidas Standard Teams (Examples): Cardiff City, Fulham, Melbourne Victory, Sheffield United, Wolves

Third Party - Many, Many Clubs:

Third Party teams have no direct contract with Adidas but with a third-party, who manage contracts for Adidas in those countries.

Adidas manages most of their deals directlyIn contrast to Nike, Adidas used to prefer to sign and manage all their deals directly. Therefore, the Three Stripes do not have many big third-party deals. This just changed recently with their latest German kit deals, which will be not managed by Adidas directly.

 

Adidas Third Party Teams (Examples):Nürnberg, Düsseldorf, Unterhaching, small lower-division clubs & hundreds of semi-professional / amateur teams

Non-Affiliated Adidas Teams - Thousands of Clubs:

Teams who buy their shirt themselves and choose - possibly more than hundred thousand worldwide.

MLS Teams

Major League Soccer teams are a special category for Adidas. They all get a custom kit, while those teams with more fans get some more gear. The shirts of the most popular MLS teams are sold globally (e.g. LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC).

[StanSP]

Should be Elite tbqhwy. 

[Fox in the North]

3 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Should be Elite tbqhwy. 

Abso-bloody-lutely

[RoboFox]

Seriously though, how we're not in that B-Team category already is an absolute shambles. 

 

Historically good teams, sure. Some huge fanbases there too. However we should take Bordeaux's place... They've basically been a mid-table Ligue 1 side since about 2010.

We're massive, like. 

 

 

Edited 26 October 2020 by RoboFox

[Guest]

We get jazzier kits and more people get to buy them - sounds good to me

[foxes_rule1978]

Union Berlin? how/why have they managed to reach B status, nothing wrong with it just curious. Does that mean some teams will drop to standard as well... don’t get it sorry  

[FoyleFox]

We're standard?! No way. Our club is many things, standard it is not.

[CosbehFox]

28 minutes ago, RoboFox said:

Seriously though, how we're not in that B-Team category already is an absolute shambles. 

 

Major difference I see is the ability to sell shirts and merchandise outside of your own country. 

 

I'd say we aren't quite there yet - it's only repeat European campaigns what's going to do that. Football world will be conscious to who we are without actually watching us play much. Bordeaux is weird though. Union Berlin have a cult status, so have plenty in Europe buy their shirts. 

[AjcW]

21 minutes ago, foxes_rule1978 said:

Union Berlin? how/why have they managed to reach B status, nothing wrong with it just curious. Does that mean some teams will drop to standard as well... don’t get it sorry  

I imagine it might be the highly lucrative 'Football Hipster' market  

[Nalis]

39 minutes ago, RoboFox said:

Seriously though, how we're not in that B-Team category already is an absolute shambles. 

 

Historically good teams, sure. Some huge fanbases there too. However we should take Bordeaux's place... They've basically been a mid-table Ligue 1 side since about 2010.

We're massive, like. 

 

 

I guess they consider the size of regional markets too. From memory I'm not sure if Adidas have teams in France that are bigger.

[AjcW]

It's a brand new deal the Bordeaux one, so might have been part of the terms they agreed on, that they would be a 'B' level and get a tailored kit. 

 

Value wise it's only £1m a year, i'd say we're easily doing better than that out of them even at the third level!

[urban.spaceman]

Interesting. I seem to recall reading an article about our deal with Puma making them millions because of the exposure out title win brought them while being on a small club contract. Perhaps the same is happening here hence the upgrade?

 

Either way we should get an elite deal on the basis that Arsenal are relegated.

 

*****.

[Dan]

Well that's it, Bordeaux our official rivals. We hate Bordeaux.

[StanSP]

Just now, Dan LCFC said:

Well that's it, Bordeaux our official rivals. We hate Bordeaux.

Shame. Was looking forward to the Bordeaux-Leicester alliance forming when fans were allowed back in grounds. 

[Bourbon Fox]

I too wish my football team to be placed higher in the capitalist wealth-funneling grading system and attach great personal significance to this 

[Out Foxed]

just get an Umbro sponsorship. they actually make unique quality kits. 

 

**** this rent a kit template bollocks

[KingsX]

1 hour ago, Dan LCFC said:

Well that's it, Bordeaux our official rivals. We hate Bordeaux.

 

      Personally, I like Bordeaux.

 

[Samilktray]

9 minutes ago, Out Foxed said:

just get an Umbro sponsorship. they actually make unique quality kits. 

 

**** this rent a kit template bollocks

Umbro make some of the worst kits out there

[HitchinFox]

3 hours ago, foxes_rule1978 said:

Union Berlin? how/why have they managed to reach B status, nothing wrong with it just curious. Does that mean some teams will drop to standard as well... don’t get it sorry  

It's a massively big in "cult team" terms. A bit like St Pauli. 

 

 

[420Hashish]

More exposure = more money = better marketing = better players. 

 

ABC communism comrades

[OntarioFox]

justice for Accrington Stanley

[mozartfox]

This article sounds like a load of bollooks as no mention of Celtic’s Reserves. 

[1972 Fox]

55 minutes ago, Samilktray said:

Umbro make some of the worst kits out there

What about this? Absolutely class.

[moore_94]

1 hour ago, Samilktray said:

Umbro make some of the worst kits out there

https://www.umbro.com/en-ww/category/kits/

 

This season they have done kits for:

 

Schalke, Werder Bremen, West Ham, Brentford, Luton, Hearts, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Derby, Blackburn, Hull, Burnley, FC. Nurnberg

 

Apart from the maybe 1 or 2, they are all pretty boring

[foxoffderby]

When I use to go abroad before the great plague, I would often ask the shop assistant in the Adidas shop or outlet why they did not have any of the LCFC kit. They could not provide an answer This has answered the question. Thanks OP