Adidas Loses Bundesliga Ball Supplier Deal
Apr 24, 2017, by Chris
Derbystar will become the new ball supplier for the first and second German Bundesliga from the 2018-19 season. Derbystar had been represented in the Bundesliga through numerous partnerships with different clubs since the 1970-71 season. In the 1979-80 season, Derbystar balls were used in all 306 matches played in the Bundesliga.
"Our open and trusting talks with the DFL have led to the conclusion that we will not continue our long-term successful cooperation beyond the expiry of the current 2017-18 contract," said Adidas spokesman Oliver Brüggen, As part of our strategy, we will focus even more on cooperation with the leading international clubs and young, emerging players. "
Derbystar Becomes New Bundesliga Ball Supplier From The 2018-19 Season
Derbystar was featured for the last time in the Bundesliga.
The partnership with Derbystar is set to run over four seasons until 2021-22. The announcement was made today by DFL Sports Enterprises (DFL SE) in Frankfurt/Main, Germany. Adidas already lost the ball deal with the French Ligue 1. Uhlsport will make Ligue 1 footballs from the 2017-18 season.
Adidas made the official match balls for the Bundesliga from the 2010-11 season.
"Our new partner Derbystar has long stood for the highest product quality – quality that is acknowledged by clubs and players alike. We also appreciate the international distribution network Derbystar maintains together with Select Sport, its parent company," says Jörg Daubitzer, CEO of DFL SE.
"Our return to the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 underscores the company's strong position in the market and our very positive performance in recent years," says Andreas Filipovic, who is in charge of sales and sponsoring on Derbystar's board. "We have doubled our sales since 2010. Our presence in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 will strengthen the brand," says Joachim Böhmer, the board member at Derbystar responsible for marketing and procurement.
Founded in 1968, Derbystar has specialized in the production of hand-stitched sports balls and was among the first manufacturers to use synthetic materials for this purpose. In 1991 Derbystar Sportartikel GmbH became part of Select Sport A/S (Select), a Danish sports ball specialist that has been an industry benchmark since 1947.
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Excelsior Rotterdam 26-27 Home Kit Released
Dutch club Excelsior Rotterdam has officially unveiled its new home kit for the 2026-27 season. Made by Robey Sportswear, the new shirt introduces a fresh design for the upcoming campaign while staying true to the club's traditional black and red colors.
The release of the home kit follows the earlier launch of Excelsior's elegant champagne-colored 2026-27 away jersey, which features subtle tributes to the Kralingen district's coat of arms.
The Robey Excelsior Rotterdam 2026-27 home kit will be available through the club's official retail channels ahead of the new season.
Too Much? Turkish Teams Have Underarm Kit Sponsors
Fenerbahçe's and Beşiktaş' 2026-27 kits have drawn criticism from fans due to the overwhelming number of sponsors, specifically focusing on the underarm sponsor.
Especially for Beşiktaş the underarm sponsor heavily dominates the otherwise simple look.
Many fans have expressed a desire for sponsor-free versions of the shirts to be made available for purchase, as the current heavily sponsored designs are seen by some as ruining the aesthetic of the classic jerseys.
Rot-Weiss Essen 26-27 Home Kit Revealed - RWE Returns as Main Sponsor
German third division club Rot-Weiss Essen has unveiled its new Jako home kit for the 2026-27 season, coinciding with a major sponsorship announcement.
The energy company RWE AG is set to return as the club's main sponsor starting July 1, 2026, signing a three-year deal that brings the iconic RWE logo back to the front of the first team's shirts. RWE AG was previously the main sponsor of the club's youth setup, a role that will now be taken over by thyssenkrupp AG.
The new Rot-Weiss Essen 26-27 home shirt by Jako features a predominantly red design, incorporating a very subtle bespoke street pattern across the front. It is so hardly visible that fans first thought it would be a generic kit.
To accommodate the new main sponsor, the previous primary partner, ifm-Unternehmensgruppe, has voluntarily moved to the left sleeve as a co-main sponsor, maintaining its financial commitment to the club for the next three years.
While the new sponsorship deals have been praised by many fans, some supporters have voiced their desire for the club to eventually change its kit supplier from Jako.
The details on the New Balance Bursaspor 26-27 kit are amazing, as showcased by @ysfylmzz1967.
Bursaspor 26-27 Kits Released - Massive Five-Kit Collection by New Balance
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Creators have been cooking during the 2026 World Cup.
Create and share your own kits with Kit Creator now on https://fifakitcreator.com & https://fifakitcreator.com/showcase/
Adidas x BAPE Teamgeist 2026 Collection Released
Adidas and BAPE have joined forces to release a special Teamgeist capsule collection, launched in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The new collection brings back the iconic 2006 Adidas Teamgeist template, combining the classic football design with BAPE's signature streetwear aesthetic.
The standout piece of the collaboration is the Adidas Originals x BAPE Teamgeist jersey. It features BAPE's famous ABC CAMO pattern subtly integrated into the design, alongside a co-branded Adidas Trefoil and BAPE Ape Head logo on the center of the chest. The shirt pays homage to the mid-2000s era of football apparel, serving as a stylish tournament fan uniform for the summer.