National team Nike deal: Neuendorf is available for talks with Habeck
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf (M) in conversation with DFB sports director Rudi Völler, DFL supervisory board chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke and DFB managing director Andreas Rettig. photo
© Christian Charisius/dpa
According to his own statement, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf was stunned by the criticism from politicians. He would explain the Nike deal to a minister if he wanted to.
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf is “gladly available” for a background discussion with Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck after his critical comments on the German Football Association’s Nike deal.
The statements from politicians after the announcement of the change of supplier from Adidas to the US sporting goods giant left him “a little bit stunned”, said Neuendorf in the ZDF interview on Saturday evening and explicitly cited Habeck’s statements as an example.
Former state politician Neuendorf said that the statements were strange “especially coming from him.” “This is about competition, this is about a market economy.” The DFB will not apologize for accepting the better offer. “It’s about not damaging the association, and we would certainly have done that if we hadn’t accepted this offer.”
The DFB surprisingly announced on Thursday, two and a half months before the start of the home European Championship, that the contract with long-term partner Adidas would expire at the end of 2026 after more than 70 years. Nike will equip the DFB from 2027 until the end of 2034. Numerous politicians criticized this, Green Party politician Habeck said he would have “wished for a bit more local patriotism”.
According to a report by the “Handelsblatt” citing industry circles, Nike’s involvement with the DFB will cost more than 100 million euros per year. Adidas is said to have paid 50 million euros annually to the association so far. The criticism from politicians was expressed “without knowledge” of the facts and background, said Neuendorf. Nike’s offering was “far above” those of its competitors.
dpa
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