“Jeremy Lin craze is welcome news at Nike, Adidas”

There is a Jeremy Lin connection to Oregon. He’s under contract with Nike and Adidas sells his NBA jerseys.

But first, China is a big, target market for both Nike and Adidas (unlike for Oregon's educational and economic development leaders who refuse to expand Mandarin and study abroad in China programs). From Allan Brettman’s Oregonian article “Jeremy Lin craze is welcome news at Nike, Adidas” (here):

…. Lin's appeal in China doesn't hurt.

"The popularity of basketball in China surpasses all other sports," Teague said. "And this example of Jeremy blowing up for the Knicks is just one more additional fuel to the fire of the passion of basketball in China."

In its last fiscal year, Nike recorded $2 billion in sales in China and has said it plans to double that by 2013. "Certainly it's a big opportunity in China," Parker said of the Lin phenomenon.

Adidas also has targeted China for significant growth in the company's so-called Route 2015 plan. Last year, the company's Adidas, Reebok and other brands had an estimated $1.3 billion in sales. And it, like Nike, has said it hopes to dramatically increase those numbers in the years ahead….

And, Lin has already appeared in China for Nike:
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….But Parker said Lin will be making a Nike-affiliated trip to China this summer as well as to Taiwan. He made a trip last summer to Taiwan, offering basketball clinics in two cities.

Could a Jeremy Lin signature basketball shoe be in the works? Or a Lin line of clothes?

"One of the questions is, 'what are you going to do in terms of product?'" Parker acknowledged. "I think you'll see more things happening there. I mean, there's a real interest in him and in his story and I think that creates opportunities for him and for Nike." …..

And, relating to the above video:

…. His current shoe is the Zoom HyperFuse. And Lin, who grew up in Palo Alto, Calif., says in a Nike webcast interview that his favorite basketball shoe of all time is the Nike Shox BB4 and his favorite shoe to "wear around" is a Jordan Brand Air Force One.

After Monday's night's home game at Madison Square Garden, Lin's street clothes included what appeared to white canvas deck shoes with a blue Swoosh on the side. When he opens the trunk of his car in a video that's been popular on YouTube, he chooses from among six pairs of shoes to wear into a gym: all carry a Swoosh…..

Comments

[Jordan Cement 4]

Good report! Thanks!