So far, sehr gut

Adidas, the other sports giant in town, keeps playing for No. 1

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Jul 24, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (6 Reader comments)

JIM CLARK / portland tribune

When Adidas America moved in 2002 to the former site of the Bess Kaiser Medical Center in North Portland, it made a point of reusing the buildings and offering attractive views to the neighbors, including the placement of sports fields on the outskirts, where employees participate in free fitness programs.

Psst. There’s an athletic shoe and apparel giant in town.

No, we’re not talking about those folks in Beaverton who make products that carry a swoosh on them.

This company is in North Portland, just five minutes from downtown, and its identity is tied to a three-stripes trademark.

Adidas Group AG, the world’s second-largest sporting-goods company, has based its U.S. operations in the Portland area since 1993. That was when it merged Adidas USA with a Portland-based sports marketing company named Sports Inc. – ironically, headed by former Nike Inc. executives Rob Strasser and Peter Moore – turned it into Adidas America and set up a design center in Beaverton.

In 2002, Adidas America moved its offices to the site of the former Bess Kaiser Medical Center, which it calls “the last remaining big piece of property in the central downtown Portland area.”

Adidas America in Portland? You could have fooled John Q. Public.

The ubiquitousness of Nike in the Portland community is overwhelming. Adidas’ place among the populace here is more subtle. Just about everyone associates Nike with Portland. Not so with Adidas America, the company that pulls rank on any sporting goods firm except its crosstown rival.

“I think that’s changing,” says Travis Gonzolez, a Centennial High grad who is head of global basketball public relations for Adidas. “As time goes on and we get bigger as a company, more people will find out we’re here and be excited about having us here.

“It’s important for us to be visible in Portland. You want people to say, ‘Adidas is here, too.’ ”

Many former Nike employees – including Gonzolez – are now with Adidas. Though the rivalry between the two industry giants is downplayed, it does exist.

“There are a lot of people in Portland who absolutely love our brand,” says Ryan Morlan, global communications manager for Adidas basketball. “When you start a conversation with people and mention you work for Adidas, you immediately hear, ‘I love your brand, I love your rich history, I love the three stripes. Superstar is my all-time favorite shoe.’

“And you get to the point in the conversation where they say, ‘Nike’s here, also. What’s that like?’ It’s competitive, but it’s great overall, great for the city. It’s beautiful to see Portland identified as an icon city in the world of sport, with both us and Nike.”

HQ’s a continent away

The difference, of course, is Adidas’ world headquarters is in Germany.

“Our origin, our foundation, is in Europe,” Morlan says. “Nike’s starts here. Their founder (Phil Knight) is a Cleveland High graduate.”

Nike’s work force handles duties on the company’s “campus.” The nearly 1,000 Adidas America employees are situated in an 11-acre “village” – a concept the company says gives it a community feel not unlike that experienced with housing at the Olympic Games. A similar village is the primary place of business at the Adidas world headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, its home since the company’s inception in 1949.

The Adidas Group empire includes Reebok – which it purchased in 2006 – plus TaylorMade golf equipment and Maxfli golf balls. The company’s worldwide revenue for 2006 was listed at $13.625 billion, with an estimated 25,000 employees – not far behind Nike’s ’06 take of $15 billion with 26,700 employees.

“We pride ourselves in being a true legitimate global sports brand,” Morlan says. “We make products for just about every type of athlete.

“To me, competition is good. (Nike does) some good things; we do as well. I want people to know we’re here. We’re a big company … we’re there, we just have to step it up a little bit. We’re going to get there – we definitely are.”

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