Three stripes for the Blue and White

They’re all endorsers of Adidas Philippines, which is on its fourth year as official sponsor of all of Ateneo de Manila’s varsity teams, from the grade school to the collegiate squads.

According to Toti Wong, product manager for sports performance and original business of Adidas Philippines, “We decided to offer co-branded Adidas-Ateneo licensed apparel, similar to our licensed collegiate programs with top universities and colleges in the US such as UCLA, Boston College, Kansas, Indiana and Notre Dame, elevating the way we look at our partnership with Ateneo.”

From the start of the sponsorship, there has been a demand for Adidas products that Ateneans see the players wearing but haven’t been able to find in stores.

“Knock-offs have been in proliferation but we wanted to give Ateneans a sense of pride in wearing an apparel line with top-notch quality from a multinational organization,” adds Wong. “We are deeply-rooted in sports and share the same passion and enthusiasm Ateneans have for their athletic teams.”

Says Reyes of the sponsorship, “It feels great to be associated with a internationally famous brand that has the well-being of the athlete seriously in mind. And the product line is really good as it has elements of fashion to it.”

“There are plans to expand to other universities but we are studying all our options,” says Wong, who also noted that UST’s Dylan Ababou, Adamson’s Leo Canuday, Letran’s Rey Guevara, San Beda’s Jay-R Tecson and JR Taganas, and Mapua’s Kelvin De La Pena, are all Adidas endrosers.

“All these players went through the process,” Adidas marketing communications manager Odette Velarde confirms. The company’s customized service was previously available only to its global icons like Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, and Justine Henin, to name a few. “It’s quite an experience not just for athletes but for casual fans as they are involved in the step-by-step design of their shoe that is totally unique to all.”

For the 2007 season, a limited fan wear collection consisting of jackets, polo shirts, graphic tees, and a few accessories will be available through the Ateneo A-Shop and selected Adidas concept stores. The prices range from Php 495 for kids’ tees to Php 1,995 for adults’ jackets. The Ateneo Adidas wear will be available beginning this Sunday during the much anticipated second encounter between Ateneo and La Salle in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament.