Source: Adidas To Move Basketball Unit To Los Angeles | SGB Media Online
In a recent back and forth on LinkedIn, I was challenged on my post that stated Jerry Lorenzo working with adidas wouldn’t really push adidas Basketball forward. I was accused of saying that this would fail. I never said it would fail. I stated that the collaborative effort would be challenged if certain things didn’t take place. I also stated that I wasn’t a big fan of the “idea that Lorenzo could save adidas basketball.”
At 4:08 of the video on the article below, I discuss why I wasn’t a fan of this collaborative effort if adidas didn’t begin fixing other aspects of the business:
Biz Talk Ep. 4 | Background Info on adidas, Resale, Hype and if Fear of God Can Help – ARCH-USA
The post above was built on a discussion in the original post. I explained there how Jerry Lorenzo could create change for adidas. I predicted that he could bring Los Angeles to adidas by aligning with Etop Udo Ema who founded the Compton Magic.
Jerry Lorenzo dropped a Collection with Nike on Nov. 12th & Signed with adidas Dec. 22nd – ARCH-USA
At 1:40 of the video in the article above, I explain that there is a natural synergy between adidas, Los Angeles and Lorenzo. The move to Los Angeles creates the important change that I said would be required for this partnership to resonate.
Adidas has merged its lifestyle and performance units within basketball and is moving basketball operations from Portland, OR to Los Angeles. The moves are expected to better position the brand for growth in the basketball category.
The announcement that adidas Basketball will move from Portland to Los Angeles is the prediction that I made in the video when I originally said that if adidas made a major change, this venture would have a chance. Los Angeles is a basketball mecca. As much as we look to New York City as the soul of basketball, after working in basketball in both Memphis and San Diego, and witnessing the dominance of L.A. area teams in the state of California, I can say without hesitation that basketball should be centered in hubs for hoops. Jordan Brand basketball should be in Chicago. Nike Basketball should be in New York (this is based on sponsorship of Dyckman, Rucker , and a variety of travel teams). Under Armour basketball should be rooted in Baltimore. New Balance has a chance to disrupt an entire market if they figure out where Basketball should be operated. Right now, Nike has Atlanta with the Peach Jam and EYBL. The big homes of hoops are Chicago, L.A., NYC, Baltimore and if I’m being honest, it should be Memphis. (Memphis is a Nike town by default because of Penny and the U of M,) but a basketball company has a blueprint for garnering fans based on my work with my hoops brand Sho-Shot.
This move for Los Angeles signals that this is more than just a show. This is more than just limited drops. This is a culture change. Think about this, James Harden went to Arizona State. A State was an adidas school. Russell Westbrook went to UCLA, which was an adidas school. These Los Angeles based ball players all come from a line that was shaped by Etop. With Nike signing UCLA to a long-term deal, it was critical that adidas find their way back into the city. The way college deals work are players who participate in the EYBL with Nike go to Nike schools. Players who play in The Gauntlet for adidas go to adidas schools. Rebuilding basketball begins and ends in the grassroots. adidas will be able to possibly lock up grassroots in the state of California. This means with better designed product, they lock up the West Coast.
Things are about to get interesting. Especially when you consider adidas’ plans for Los Angeles began in 2018:
Why Would adidas Move Towards Basketball After Letting the NBA Go? – ARCH-USA
