Nike: More Football, Less Hockey
Nike Inc. has added another football league to its roster. The Beaverton, Ore.–based footwear and athletic-apparel giant inked a deal with the French Football Federation to be the league’s equipment supplier until the end of the 2017–2018 season. Nike has partnership deals with several soccer stars, including Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery, as well as deals with national football teams including Brazil and Holland and club teams including Manchester United, Inter Milan and Barcelona. The company recently announced plans to acquire Umbro plc, the U.K.-based global soccer brand, for approximately $565 million in cash. The athletic brand also struck a deal to sell its Bauer Hockey subsidiary to an investor group led by Kohlberg & Co. and Canadian businessman W. Graeme Roustan for $200 million. The deal is expected to be completed later this year.
