Sneaker Wars - by Barbara Smit (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

The fascinating story of the enemy brothers behind Adidas and Puma, whose rivalry shaped the modern sports business

Adidas and Puma are two of the biggest global brands in sports, paying stars, clubs, and competitions to show off their labels in stadiums and across magazine pages. In Sneaker Wars, journalist Barbara Smit reveals the dramatic, character-driven story of these two powerhouses. Started in their mother's laundry room in Germany, Adi and Rudi Dassler's shoe business was an instant success. But a vicious feud soon pulled them apart: by the end of World War II, the brothers split the company, dividing their family and hometown.

Adidas and Puma then revolutionized the world of sport, their rivalry introducing behind-the-scenes deals and multimillion-dollar contracts. A page-turning narrative, Sneaker Wars is a riveting blend of family drama, business, sports, and history.

"What does David Beckham's superstardom have to do with a pair of warring Bavarian brothers in the early 1900s? More than you think, according to this compelling book." -- Time Magazine

From the Back Cover

Sneaker Wars is the fascinating true story of the enemy brothers behind Adidas and Puma, two of the biggest global brands of athletic footwear. Adi and Rudi Dassler started their shoe business in their mother's laundry room and achieved almost instantaneous success. But by the end of World War II a vicious feud had torn the Dasslers apart, dividing their company and their family and launching them down separate, often contentious paths. Out of the fires of their animosity, two rival sneaker brands were born, brands that would revolutionize the world of professional sports, sparking astonishing behind-the-scenes deals, fabulous ad campaigns, and multimillion-dollar contracts for pro athletes, from Joe Namath to Muhammad Ali to David Beckham.

Review Quotes

"Where was SNEAKER WARS when I was doing research for my own book! This book is great for understanding the ins and out of the industry, particularly for the two brands we used to call 'the Germans' back in the day." - Bobbito Garcia, author of Where'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987

"Smit brings a keen reporter's eye to the schism between Puma and Adidas. The book also ably tells the broader story of the red-hot global sneaker trade." - Conde Nast Portfolio

"First-class piece of investigative reporting... enthralling narrative tale... invaluable contribution to our understanding of shoes, sports, corruption." - David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero

"An immensely readable romp through the history of Adidas, and thus also the story of international sport's politics and the commercial colonization of events." - The Independent

"Barbara Smit deserves high praise." - Sunday Telegraph

"As a history of how so much of the world came to be shod in running shoes, SNEAKER WARS is a book you'll read at a sprint. Drawing from dozens of interviews and stacks of documents, Ms. Smit reconstructs an anecdote-rich history of competition, commercialism and corruption." - Wall Street Journal

"What does David Beckham's superstardom have to do with a pair of warring Bavarian brothers in the early 1900s? More than you think, according to this compelling book." - Time Magazine