Nike ambush Adidas at Bayern Munich: Fines for Götze, Gomez and Kirchhoff

Mario Gotze of Bayern Munich presents his new match jersey with sporting director Matthias Sammer after a press conference at their HQ’s Saebener Strasse on July 2, 2013 in Munich, Germany. (Getty Images)

Not all is well at German treble winners FC Bayern Munich, the club fined the trio of Mario Götze, Mario Gomez and Jan Kirchhoff for wearing Nike-branded products at club events where the players are by contract obliged to wear Adidas or non-branded clothing.

Last Tuesday Bayern Munich had officially welcomed Mario Götze from Borussia Dortmund and Jan Kirchhoff from FSV Mainz 05, but both the Nike-contracted players wore Nike T-Shirts at the press conference, which as expected was not to the liking of the clubs official kit partner and co-owners Adidas.

Adidas had said on the day of the press conference in a statement, “The pictures from today’s press conference with Mario Gotze have negatively surprised us. Contractually it is not permissible because it is an official function of Adidas partner Bayern Munich. We have already discussed with Bayern Munich.”

But what made matters worse is the fact that at the clubs Trentino training camp in Italy, Mario Gomez was photographed wearing a Nike hat against the rules of the club and their partnership with Adidas, which only allows players to wear their own boots but everything else has to be Adidas branded.

Adidas are a long-time sponsor and partner of the UEFA Champions League winners and besides Audi they are a 9.1 percent stakeholder in the club, while the German sportswear giant’s CEO, Herbert Hainer, is a member of Bayern Munich board of directors.

No details have been disclosed about the amount of the fines though it is being speculated to be in the region of €10,000 with all three players accepting the punishment and the money going as a donation to the German flood victims.