Adidas Does Not Produce Authentic HEAT.DRY For Boca Juniors & River Plate - Here Is Why

Boca Juniors and River Plate do not get HEAT.DRY authentic kits from Adidas but just kits with just standard replica technology - let us find out why. Story via La Casaca.

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It Is Not Worth For Adidas To Sell Authentic Kits In Argentina - Local Production To Expensive Due to Weak Currency

First, it is important to know that the kits of Argentinean Adidas clubs and also the Argentinean national team are not made in Asia but in Argentina, due to the strict import restrictions in the South American country.

This makes the production of football kits more expensive for the brands, as the labor, import and other costs are much higher when producing in Argentina.

Second, it is also important to know that the Argentinean Peso is a very weak currency.

In the past 12 months, the Argentinean Peso lost around 25% of its value compared to the USD. The devaluation of the Argentinean Peso makes it very hard for locals to buy foreign products, and makes it more expensive and less profitable for Adidas to produce / sell in Argentina.

Higher costs for brands mean not only less profit. A weak local currency also means that a replica Adidas jersey is already extremely expensive for locals - the Adidas replica Boca Juniors and River Plate jerseys retail at 6.800 Argentine Peso, which equals to exactly 90 United States Dollar as of late September 2020.

In fact, the prices for Adidas kits in Argentina Peso are being increased by Adidas almost every month to keep pace with the devaluation of the currency.

This also caused Nike to leave the South American market almost completely.

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Below is La Casaca's explanation:

There will be NO HEAT.DRY models for Boca or River at the moment. This is due to high import costs and the devaluation of the local currency. The HEAT.DRY shirts are manufactured in Asia and could only be produced domestically by importing all its components.

This makes the product even more expensive due to import costs and local manufacturing that is more expensive than in Asia. If we consider that a HEAT.DRY shirt has a global value of (approx) 120 USD, Adidas should sell them for 10,000 pesos (put it) and still give up margin.

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In other words, due to various factors, (but mainly economic) it is unfeasible today for the big brands to sell a player jersey in Argentina and earn the established and profitable margin for their global economies.

Adidas Does Also Not Give Boca & River "Players-Only" HEAT.DRY Authentic Versions

What is nevertheless pretty strange is that Adidas does not produce player-only HEAT.DRY versions for Boca and River but just gives them replica technology jerseys.

Interestingly, the imported Adidas Real Madrid and Bayern Munchen 2020-2021 home kits, in example, are available as HEAT.DRY authentic versions.

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