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By: Jeff James

Listed Under: Top Story

Published: Friday, June 15, 2012

As we fast approach London 2012, both organisers and athletes alike are making their final preparations for what’s being billed as ‘The greatest show on earth’.

Will Usain Bolt, resplendent in his golden Puma spikes, smash his own 100m and 200m records? Will Team GB be able to perform better on home soil than in Beijing four years ago?

Between July 27 and August 12 the Games are forecast to attract four billion TV viewers from across the globe, which represents a unique opportunity for Olympic partners such as adidas to benefit from unprecedented brand exposure. Hosting this global sporting event will also generate local benefits in the sports industry and could change the shape of the market in the UK.

adidas vs Nike
adidas holds exclusive rights for both official licensed products and, for the first time, non-branded products as well. It will sell products featuring the London 2012 logo, its own brand and products featuring the London 2012 brand only. London 2012 branded apparel will open up non-traditional channels such as supermarkets, tourist shops and airport shops.

adidas’ main goal during the Beijing Olympics was to position the brand front of mind among Chinese consumers and become one of the key players in the sports industry in that country. Expectations are different this time, as adidas wants to use London 2012 as a lever to overtake Nike and become market leader in the sports sector by 2015.

This represents a major challenge, as Nike has been a long established leader in the sports market in the UK, especially in the capital, where sports footwear and apparel sales account for around one sixth of total GB sales, according to NPD’s Online Consumer Panel data.

Retail sector
London expects to welcome an additional 300,000 overseas and 500,000 domestic visitors during August, a large proportion of whom plan to go to major shopping locations such as Oxford Street in central London or Westfield Stratford City next to the Olympic Park.

The spending boost generated by London 2012 is expected to reach £1 billion. In addition, as Olympic excitement builds retailers believe the event could generate a feelgood factor among UK consumers, which could boost spending further.

Busy year
The sports market in the UK had a good year in 2011, as sales of footwear and apparel grew by four per cent, according to NPD’s Online Consumer Panel. 2012 will be a significant year, with strong sales expected as a result of London 2012 and, if the England football team perform well, the Euro 2012 tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

The NPD Group monitors the sales of sports footwear and apparel in many countries around the world. For more information contact The NPD Group sports team on 01932 355580.

PIC CREDIT: London 2012