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  • July 2015 (Revised January 2020)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Horst Dassler, Adidas, and the Commercialization of Sport

By: Geoffrey Jones, Michael Norris and Sophi Kim
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:23
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Abstract

The case focuses on the career of Horst Dassler, the son of the founder of the German-based sports shoe manufacturer Adidas. The origins of the firm were in the interwar years, and it rose to public prominence after it provided spikes for Jesse Owens, the famous African-American sprinter, in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. From the 1950s Horst cultivated relationships with athletes and national associations to expand his sports apparel business and develop sports sponsorship, competing fiercely against competitors such as Puma and Nike. During the 1970s he played a key role in commercializing the international soccer federation FIFA, including creating a television market for soccer, and he subsequently became a key force behind arranging sponsorships and broadcasting rights for the Olympics. The case explores the drivers of success of this major consumer brand and provides the opportunity to discuss the positives and negatives of the globalization and commercialization of sport.

Keywords

Corruption; Economic History; Business History; Entertainment; Business; Strategy; Media; Digital Technology; Blockbuster; Superstar; Film; Television; Music; Publishing; Performing Arts; Nightlife; Crime and Corruption; Entrepreneurship; Globalization; History; Sports; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Fashion Industry; Sports Industry; Germany; South America; Europe; Asia; North and Central America

Citation

Jones, Geoffrey, Michael Norris, and Sophi Kim. "Horst Dassler, Adidas, and the Commercialization of Sport." Harvard Business School Case 316-007, July 2015. (Revised January 2020.)
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About The Author

Geoffrey G. Jones

General Management
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Related Work

    • February 2016
    • Faculty Research

    Horst Dassler, Adidas, and the Commercialization of Sport

    By: Geoffrey Jones and Michael Norris
    • July 2015 (Revised January 2020)
    • Faculty Research

    Horst Dassler, Adidas, and the Commercialization of Sport

    By: Geoffrey Jones, Michael Norris and Sophi Kim
Related Work
  • Horst Dassler, Adidas, and the Commercialization of Sport By: Geoffrey Jones and Michael Norris
  • Horst Dassler, Adidas, and the Commercialization of Sport By: Geoffrey Jones, Michael Norris and Sophi Kim
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