Imagine the guy at Nike who saw the missed call from Lionel Messi’s father and thought, ‘I’ll call him back later.’
Spoiler: They didn’t. And that one ‘oops’ moment turned out to be the most expensive mistake in the history of sports marketing. Today, we’re talking about the great blunder that transferred the greatest player on Earth from the Swoosh to the Three Stripes.
deal of the century in 2003
In 2003, a 14-year-old kid from Rosario was already making defenders look like idols in Barcelona’s academy. Nike was smart, they signed him in a very short period of time €10,000 per year,
They knew he was good. He didn’t know that he was going to become Messi.
2005: The Snub Heard ‘Round the World
By 2005, Messi was the MVP of the U-20 World Cup and the wonderkid of Barcelona’s first team. That was the future. But the Nike vibe? Amazingly cool. They did not officially upgrade his junior contract, relying on one simple thing ‘commitment letter’ Instead of a completely legal deal.
Then came the turning point. Messi’s father George made a small request, He asked for some extra tracksuits for the family. Nike offices in Spain and South America reportedly ignored the request or were very slow to respond. It wasn’t about the clothes; it was about RespectFor Messias, silence was an insult,
Enter Adidas with a €750,000 counter-attack
Adidas could smell blood in the water. While Nike was busy not shipping tracksuits, Adidas came up with a big offer: €750,000 per year.
it was almost 75 times more Compared to his Nike deal. It wasn’t just money, it was royal treatment. Realizing the importance, Messi changed sides.
legal war
Naik became nervous and took the matter to court in 2006, claiming that there was a binding agreement between them. But judges ruled that the “commitment letter” was not a real contract. Messi was a free agent. Adidas immediately brought him on board and he has been the face of the brand ever since.
‘Billions of dollars’ lesson
While Nike still has the great Cristiano Ronaldo, losing Messi was a big change. Experts predict Nike lost $5-10 billion In long-term brand value.
The lesson there for every brand (and person)? Don’t ignore small things. Sometimes, the difference between a billion dollar inheritance and a billion dollar mistake is just a few tracksuits and a returned phone call.
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