I have complained about Adidas many times and with this news, I am relieved that one of my biggest gripes about them is over. I never liked their partnership with the NBA. They turned so many good-looking uniforms into boring cookie-cutter designs. They were trying to be innovative but realistically, they just failed on so many levels of aesthetics.

They gave us sleeves and big logos and a whole boatload of ugly alternates. But with this coming to an end soon, I can celebrate the finality of one of the worst branding partnerships I can think of in recent memory.

From the official statement from Adidas:

“We have decided to not renew our partnership as official outfitter of the NBA after our current contract expires following the 16-17 season. While we have enjoyed a successful long-term relationship with the league, we continually review our partner agreements to ensure they are meeting our investment and delivering on our brand and business needs. We are reimagining and reshaping our business and have evolved our strategy to look at new, cutting-edge ways to drive our brand and support our business over the long term. We will invest more in telling stories that matter to our consumer, building category-disrupting innovative products, reinvigorating youth basketball with our new Next Generation programs and doubling our roster of professional athletes to authenticate our brand on-court.”

I think they are just admitting that their product isn’t as well-received as they hoped, as it’s being reported here.

Under Armour and Nike are the two likely candidates to replace Adidas. Under Armour might be the best option but Nike has a strong hold on the sports market still. Either way, I am sure what they will produce will be better than what Adidas gave us.