Adidas covers swooshes at Nike’s hometown track

EUGENE – Adidas has invaded the birthplace of Nike.

Crews preparing for this week’s world junior track championships at Hayward Field covered the Nike swooshes and pinned Adidas posters to the fence alongside the track, the Register-Guard newspaper reported.

Adidas can take that action in Nike’s hometown because of its sponsorship deal with the International Association of Athletics Federation.

As part of the sponsorship, the German multinational receives a “clean venue” at Hayward Field, free of its rivals’ logos.

“It’s a normal branding policy that you see at all major events,” said Vin Lananna, the former University of Oregon track coach who is now president of TrackTown USA, the local organizing committee.

Matt Powell, a footwear industry analyst, said Phil Knight, the Nike co-founder and major University of Oregon benefactor, probably is not pleased with the current turn of events.

“This is the birthplace of Nike, right? I’m sure it does stick in his throat,” he said.

Adidas doesn’t control what the athletes wear. Teams have various contracts with sponsors and so do individual athletes.