adidas-Salomon Acquires Valley Apparel

adidas-Salomon Acquires Valley Apparel


PORTLAND, Ore. and HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, June 17  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
adidas-Salomon AG announced today that it has acquired Valley Apparel Company
of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a producer and distributor of collegiate and
professional league apparel and accessories.

Valley specializes in serving small- to mid-size retailers, such as sporting
goods stores, department stores, fan shops and college bookstores, and is
recognized for its ability to produce and deliver large quantities of apparel
and branded accessories within hours of a team's victory.  Valley licenses
apparel for over 140 colleges and universities, as well as over 100 legendary
professional athletes, including such stars as Magic Johnson, Joe Montana and
Joe Namath.  The company, to be renamed adidas Team in 2005, will also continue
to manage adidas' licensed products such as Major League Baseball and Major
League Soccer.

"Although this represents only a minor investment for the Group, we are
confident that this acquisition is another important step to better control the
adidas brand in the all-important North American market," said Erich
Stamminger, President and CEO of adidas America.

Valley became an adidas licensee in 1999.  Initially Valley produced and
distributed t-shirts, fleece, team replica and authentic jerseys.  The
relationship continued to grow to include all adult products, as well as
licensed headwear, licensed accessories, children's licensed styles, and
certain distribution rights for adidas branded apparel to college bookstores.

Please visit our corporate website: http://www.adidas-salomon.com/ 

DATASOURCE: adidas-Salomon AG



CONTACT:  Media Relations - Jan Runau, Head of Corporate PR,

[phone], Anne Putz, Corporate PR Manager, [phone], Doug

Donsky, Edelman (U.S. Media), [phone], Investor Relations, Natalie M.

Knight, Head of Investor Relations, [phone], Dr. Charlotte Brigitte

Loos, Investor Relations Manager, [phone], Hendric Junker, Investor

Relations Manager, [phone], all for adidas-Salomon



Web Site:  http://www.adidas-salomon.com/ 

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