Adidas vs Puma

I just finished reading Barbara Smit's Pitch Invasion. It's a book about the history of Adidas and Puma and also about the commercialisation of sport. Very interesting read.

Some facts you might or might not know already:

• Adidas and Puma are set-up by brothers. Adi Dassler made Adidas, Rudolf Dassler made Puma. They come from Herzogenaurach, Germany.
• Adidas is the first brand who made sure their shoes were visible from afar with the three stripes (thus creating brand awareness).
• Adidas practically bribed IOC officials and lots of athletes way before it became legal.
• Sepp Blatter - the current foolish head of FIFA - was put in FIFA by Horst Dassler of Adidas so that he can have a better hold of FIFA. Blatter himself was just a manager at Longines Timing before he joined FIFA.
• Previous FIFA head Joao Havelange was a waterpolo player.
• Le Coq Sportif, Arena, Pony are brands owned by Adidas.
  
• Adidas nearly went bankrupt a couple of times.
• Bernard Tapie bought Adidas but couldn't settle the deal.
• Elaine from Seinfled is the cousin of Adidas ex-owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus.
• Puma did not break any ruling by giving Cameroon sleeveless shirts for the football team.
• Lots and lots of payments were made to athletes and officials under the table back in the days so that they wore Adidas or Puma shoes.

The world of professional sports whould not have been this much fun had Adidas and Puma never existed.