Skip to main content
BoF Logo

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Athletes Don’t Want Nike or Adidas Anymore. They Want Independence.

Young stars increasingly favour deals with lesser known brands that align with their personal values and allow them to play a bigger role, creatively and commercially.
Isaak Okoro holds his signature sneakers
Athletes like 23-year-old Cleveland Cavaliers player Isaac Okoro are increasingly choosing to partner with smaller brands that offer equity, leadership roles and custom-made products. (CloseUp360)

Scoring an endorsement deal with Nike or Adidas used to be every up-and-coming athlete’s dream.

Please sign in to ensure you can read our agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice. Or get in touch at support@businessoffashion.com if you experience difficulties.

Further Reading

How Nike Ran Off Course

Nike is experiencing its worst slump in a decade, even as its competitors thrive. Insiders, athletes and fans pin the blame on changes made over the last few years that led to stalling innovation, disruptive restructurings and uninspired marketing.

Are Signature Sneakers Still Relevant?

After years of stagnation, the market for signature shoes from basketball stars is heating up again, boosted by a new generation of athletes and fresh challenges to Nike’s dominance from a resurgent Adidas and a host of Chinese brands like Anta and Li-Ning.

About the author
Daniel-Yaw Miller

Daniel-Yaw Miller is a contributing writer at The Business of Fashion. Miller is a New York based journalist, editor and advisor who specialises in sports, fashion and business.

In This Article
Topics
Organisations

© 2026 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Sports
How the collision of sports and fashion is creating new opportunities in both industries.

Why Adidas Is Suing a Sneaker Leaker

The activewear giant’s legal action against the popular sneaker news site Sole Retriever exposes hidden fault lines in the industry's relationship with the media that covers it.


Adidas’ Power Play Against Leakers

Adidas filed one of the strangest lawsuits that you’ll see in sneakers. It could have implications for how consumers get their information moving forward.


view more
Latest News & Analysis
Unrivalled, world class journalism across fashion, luxury and beauty industries.

The Industry That Eats Its Young

Small fashion labels have always been shortchanged by their wholesale partners. A wave of high-profile bankruptcies has turned a structural injustice into an existential crisis. There is a better way to do business, writes Imran Amed.


VIEW MORE
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON