When did Reebok leave the sport

UFC

I believe Adidas bought them out and wanted to just have Adidas running shoes for the combined company.

The holding company of adidas owns Reebok. So perhaps that might explain it.

Most of that section of the adidas empire formerly known as reebok is applied to crossfit.

Reebok Grand Prix wrote:

Most of that section of the adidas empire formerly known as reebok is applied to crossfit.

And yet Reebok still sponsors ZAP Fitness.

Rebranding adidas running kit with the Reebok logo

runnerboy1 wrote:

Rebranding adidas running kit with the Reebok logo

Really? I've wondered about what's going on with that. Thanks. But why keep the Reebok name rather than just make adidas ZAP's sponsor?

Oh okay, that makes sense. Thanks for the answer.

It was actually slightly before the adidas purchase. Reebok began making some changes to beef up the sale price.

Reebok had been seeing declining revenues/profits and began cutting sponsorships of events & runners in the early-mid 2000s. Basically what they did was stop renewing and let the contracts die out. This decreased costs.

In addition to cutting those costs, Reebok also artificially beefed up sales revenues by selling at any discount store (DICK'S) that would take them. They made a ton of new revenue, but were now known as a discount brand.

So when adidas purchased them, it was a brand that had become known as a discount store commodity that was losing it's national presence as a big time player. Not surprising that it was put slightly on the back burner. Adidas also got slightly burned by the Reebok moves prior to purchase (value of the company dropped by 1/3 within a year of purchase).

Reebok tried a slight resurgance as the "jogger's shoe" about 4 years ago but has since found its niche in the CrossFit world.

Yeah, I've always wondered why it seems they fell off the map---they made some cool basketball shoes in the 90s, too.

At least for the ZAP athletes only.

Reebok was too cool for school in the late-70s, when you couldn't even get them in the US. Then Steve Jones wore them for a few awesome track 10Ks in the mid-80s, and for his marathon awesomeness.

They could have been somebody. They could have had it all.

When Mark Bossardet left to go Nike in 1995 that was the beginning of the end for Reebok in the running scene. Add to it Paul Fireman's obsession with the Pump and the company having no focus and there you have it.

When Dan O'Brien no heighted in New Orleans in 1992.

There is still a glimmer of possibility with the brand surely, bring back a Reebok Racing Club, release a small line of quality shoes, like Mizuno and get Jones on board for some promo/publicity. There is a lot of crap out there, Hoka, Altra, Skechers etc... product hasn't really moved on a lot in the time theyv'e been away, are the Streak LT really much different from the Hexalite racer??? Really???

Not until adidas sells off. No way will adidas give up what little usa running market presence they have by allowing Reebok to develop. Perhaps some venture capital group will see the value. Someone like a Mark Sheehan could lead the return of 'bok running.

Track Fan 1979 wrote:

When Mark Bossardet left to go Nike in 1995 that was the beginning of the end for Reebok in the running scene. Add to it Paul Fireman's obsession with the Pump and the company having no focus and there you have it.

Mark was and is a superstar promo guy. Not the guy building the shoe line.

Problem is that the shoes were sub par, sub par doesn't sell, without sales you don't have money to build the business.

Gee is this advertising? Guys, I don't know things!