Business news :Adidas Signs Gymnastics Licensee

Adidas announced that starting in 2013, Elegant Sports will be the new adidas Gymnastics licensee, responsible for growing the adidas Gymnastics brand worldwide.

Adidas and Elegant Sports are committed to growing Adidas Gymnastics into the world's leading gymnastics brand, providing a wide range of apparel, footwear, and accessories to the world's top gymnasts. 

Alice Chao , CEO of Elegant Sports, has a goal of "making us the world's number one in gymnastics by offering the most innovative technology, design, and style – giving athletes the most comprehensive gymnastics experience in the market.  We want to enhance our consumers' performance, providing them with products that will not only help them reach the next level of skill and ability, but also enhance their lifestyle."

Frank Maier , Director for Adidas Heartbeat Sports, Sales & Licensing, is confident that these ambitions can be realized with the right partner at the right time: "With Elegant Sports we have committed ourselves to a partner that will be 100% focused on the future development of adidas Gymnastics. Adidas has a very long tradition in this sport, starting with Nadja Comaneci's "Perfect 10" and her Gold medals in Montreal and Moscow in 1976 and 1980. Today, with this partnership, we are sure the right time has come to make a major footprint to globally commercialize the product, bringing together technological and marketing competences of both parties in the world of gymnastics."

To refuel adidas Gymnastics, the brand has signed two new athlete sponsorships with Jake Dalton and Jordyn Wieber , both members of the US National Team.  Jordyn was a member of the gold medal-winning US Women's gymnastics team at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2011 World Championships. 

"I am excited about working with adidas because for as long as I can remember, adidas has been the brand I wore when competing for the United States.  I always felt proud to wear adidas and I love the high quality of products."  Jake Dalton is the reigning NCAA All-Around Champion and was a member of the 2012 Summer Olympic Team:  "I am excited to work with adidas because they are such a well-respected athletic company, and I am excited my name is going to be associated with their brand image." said Dalton. "I have wanted to work with adidas for a long time, and I am just honored that they want to work with me."

Adidas Gymnastics will launch a Spring/Summer 2013 range, which will be a selective offering of training and competition leotards for women, available online in mid-April and plans to expand the collection throughout the year, with mens apparel available in the coming months.

For more information, visit their official website at www.adidasgymnastics.com/elegantsports, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/adidasgymnastics, or on Twitter @adidasgym.