When Puma announced on Thursday that former Adidas sales chief Arthur Hoeld would become its new CEO, replacing Arne Freundt over “differing views on strategy execution,” it wasn’t just a routine leadership shake-up.
The move added another chapter to one of the most iconic rivalries in corporate history: Puma versus Adidas.
That rivalry, marked by talent swaps and strategic one-upmanship, had also seen a dramatic turn in 2022 when Puma hired Bjørn Gulden, who had been a senior vice president of apparel and accessories at Adidas in the 1990s, to lead the company as its CEO.
But beneath these boardroom moves lies a far older and more personal story—one that began with a bitter sibling split in a small German town and evolved to become one of the most legendary feuds in global sportswear.
Adidas and Puma, two of the world’s largest sportswear giants, owe their origins not just to ambition and innovation, but to a bitter rift between two German brothers — Adolf and Rudolf Dassler.
This is their story:
A feud born in the Dassler family
The story begins in the 1920s in Herzogenaurach, a town of just over 20,000 people nestled in Germany’s Franconia region.
The Dassler brothers ran a shoe company together — Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory) — operating out of their mother’s laundry room.
Adolf, known as “Adi,” was the quiet craftsman, focused on design and detail. Rudolf, or “Rudi,” was the extrovert and the salesman, charismatic and bold.
The pair found early success, most famously when American sprinter Jesse Owens wore their shoes to win four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
But the business — and their relationship — began to unravel during World War II.
Misunderstandings, personal grudges, and political tension turned into open hostility
The exact trigger for the rift between the Dassler brothers remains disputed.
Local records merely refer to “internal family difficulties,” but the most widely circulated story is that Rudi—often described as the more charismatic of the two—had an affair with Adi’s wife, Käthe, a betrayal that permanently severed the brothers’ bond.
Other theories have also emerged over the years.
Some revolve around tensions over their political affiliations—both brothers joined the Nazi Party in 1933—and debates over who could claim credit for inventing the revolutionary screw-in football studs that helped West Germany clinch the 1954 World Cup on a rain-soaked pitch in Berne.
One particularly infamous episode dates back to 1943, during an Allied bombing raid over Herzogenaurach.
According to reports, Adi and Käthe rushed into an air raid shelter already occupied by Rudi and his family.
Upon seeing them, Rudi allegedly muttered, “The Schweinhunde (pig dogs) are back.”
Rudi later claimed he had been referring to the RAF bombers, but Adi was unconvinced—another slight that deepened their already fractured relationship.
By 1948, the brothers had gone their separate ways, and Herzogenaurach was never the same again.
Herzogenaurach: “the town of bent necks”
Rudolf set up his own company on one side of the Aurach River and called it Puma.
Adi remained on the other side and registered his company as Adidas, a portmanteau of his first and last names.
It is here that the headquarters of these two giants stand even today, barely a couple of miles apart.
What followed was not just a corporate rivalry, but a town-wide schism.
Herzogenaurach became known as “the town of bent necks,” because locals would first look down at your shoes before deciding whether to speak to you.
“The split between the Dassler brothers was to Herzogenaurach what the building of the Berlin Wall was for the German capital,” local journalist Rolf-Herbert Peters said in a Guardian report of 2009.
Marriages between employees of Adidas and Puma were discouraged.
Each factory had its own football club, barber, and pub — even churches and bakeries aligned with one side or the other.
“Even religion and politics were part of the heady mix. Puma was seen as Catholic and politically conservative, Adidas as Protestant and Social Democratic,” said Klaus-Peter Gäbelein of the local Heritage Association in the report.
Even in death, the divide persisted: the Dassler brothers are buried in the same cemetery, but at opposite ends.
From the Cold War on cleats to modern brand warfare
The Adidas-Puma rivalry has evolved from personal vengeance to boardroom competition.
For decades, both brands fought for supremacy in football sponsorships, athlete endorsements, and Olympic moments.
Adidas signed stars like Franz Beckenbauer and David Beckham, while Puma snapped up Pelé, Usain Bolt, and most recently, Neymar Jr.
The brands’ differing identities also became part of their competitive edge.
Adidas leaned into innovation, performance, and heritage. Puma took a more youthful, fashion-forward route, collaborating with artists like Rihanna and designers like Alexander McQueen.
Despite the intensity, modern leadership at both companies has attempted to thaw relations.
In 2009, employees from both firms played a symbolic football match to promote peace and reconciliation. But in the marketplace, the fight remains fierce.
Today, Adidas and Puma collectively generate billions in revenue, competing globally with the likes of Nike and Under Armour.
Yet in Herzogenaurach, the rift still echoes. Locals still joke that the easiest way to offend someone is to wear the wrong shoes.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Dante Moore wanted to clear things up regarding Troy Aikman’s remarks about an NIL donation the pro football Hall of Famer made a player at UCLA.
During an interview on the Sports Media podcast with Richard Deitsch earlier this month, Aikman said he is “done with NIL” after not receiving any gratitude for a “sizable check” he donated to UCLA for a player who later transferred.
“I gave money to a kid, I won’t mention who,” Aikman told Deitsch. “I’ve done it one time at UCLA, never met the young man. He was there a year, he left after the year. I wrote a sizable check, and he went to another school. I didn’t even get so much as a thank you note. So, it’s one of those deals, to where I’m done with NIL. I want to see UCLA be successful, but I’m done with it.”
Though Aikman did not name Moore, many assumed it was the former five-star recruit, who transferred from UCLA to Oregon after his freshman year.
The Los Angeles Times reported UCLA’s collective, Men of Westwood, did not disclose donor information to players receiving NIL deals and that Aikman was thanked by then-coach Chip Kelly and athletic director Martin Jarmond.
Moore said he has never spoken to Aikman, but expressed gratitude to the former UCLA and Dallas Cowboys legend if he was who Aikman was referring to.
“If he sent it to me, I didn’t know it was him,” Moore said. “I didn’t see it. When it comes to people thinking it’s me, of course, everybody’s going to think it’s me. It’s quarterback-to-quarterback. I don’t want that false narrative being put out there that I didn’t say thank you. I didn’t hear nothing from him. I didn’t see nothing from him. So, if he sent it, thank you, but I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1) vs. No. 5 Oregon (12-1)
When: Thursday, January 1
Time: 9 a.m. PT
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
TV: ESPN and ABC
Stream: You can watch this game on DIRECTV (free trial) or with Sling (a Sling day pass to watch this game and more is just $4.99). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech was back in the national spotlight Tuesday ahead of its first appearance in the Capital One Orange Bowl, meeting with media who have arrived in Miami Gardens from across the country.
The 45-minute media session was an opportunity for many of the Red Raiders to see Hard Rock Stadium for the first time ahead of Thursday’s 11 a.m. CT kick in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals against Oregon. The Ducks followed later in the day to close out the Media Day portion of the Orange Bowl festivities.
The Red Raiders previously held a nearly hour-long walkthrough practice earlier in the morning on the campus of Florida Atlantic University. It was one of two practices the Red Raiders will have in Florida ahead of the Orange Bowl as Texas Tech will go through its typical “Fast Friday” workout Wednesday morning similar to its schedule during the regular season.
Below is coverage of the Red Raiders from Media Days as well as behind-the-scenes footage from our TexasTech+ cameras.
RED RAIDERS IN THE NEWS
Dec. 30, 2025 – “We found our guy:” Texas Tech’s gamble on HS legend pays off (ESPN.com)
Dec. 30, 2025 – ‘It’s like euphoria’: How Jacob Rodriguez mastered the art of the punch-out fumble (CBSSports.com)
Dec. 30, 2025 – How Skyler Gill-Howard remains one of Texas Tech’s best leaders while injured (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Dec. 30, 2025 – Behren Morton and the journey that shaped him (Dave Campbell’s Texas Football)
Dec. 30, 2025 – Caleb Douglas back in Florida, excelling with Texas Tech (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Dec. 30, 2025 – Why former Texas star is backing Texas Tech in CFP (Houston Chronicle)
Dec. 30, 2025 – How Bryce Ramirez turned a walk-on opportunity into a Texas Tech legacy (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Dec. 30, 2025 – Which Texas Tech team is better – 2008 or 2025? (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Dec. 29, 2025 – Behren Morton carries name for two families (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Dec. 29, 2025 – Big time boosters transformed Texas Tech, but that’s not all it took to reach CFP (The Athletic)
Dec. 29, 2025 – Ben Roberts and the making of a Red Raider Dynasty (Dave Campbell’s Texas Football)
Dec. 29, 2025 – Can Texas Tech’s Cody Campbell fix college sports? (ESPN.com)
Iowa State finished the 2025 campaign with a winning record (8–4 overall, 5–4 in the Big 12), highlighted by a five-game win streak to start the season, but an uneven finish set the stage for major staff turnover.
On December 8, head coach Matt Campbell was officially named Penn State’s head coach, departing Ames after 10 seasons as the program’s winningest coach (72–55 overall).
Iowa State moved quickly, naming Jimmy Rogers as head coach on December 6.
Rogers comes from Washington State, where he led the team to a 6–6 record in the 2025 season, and previously held assistant and defensive coordinator roles at South Dakota State and Florida Atlantic.
Since the coaching change, multiple Cyclones have entered the transfer portal, most recently wide receiver Chase Sowell on Monday.
He becomes the 41st player from Iowa State to enter the portal and the 16th starter, according to analyst Josh Pate.
NEW: Iowa State WR Chase Sowell plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Sowell totaled 500 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns this season.https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/pvDDRTrDHy
Sowell was Iowa State’s second-leading receiver in 2025, tallying 32 catches for 500 yards and two touchdowns, after spending two seasons at East Carolina (2023–2024) and one at Colorado (2022).
Since Campbell’s departure, several other high-impact players have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal, including starters QB Rocco Becht, RB Carson Hansen, TE Ben Brahmer, and WR Brett Eskildsen, as well as multiple defensive backs and linemen.
As Pate noted on his podcast, top cornerbacks Jontez Williams and Jeremiah Cooper have also announced their intention to enter the transfer portal and are currently ranked sixth and seventh among available players.
Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) passes during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys | William Purnell-Imagn Images
The departures remove several established starters and depth, including the starting QB, lead rusher, lead receiver, and multiple starters on both sides of the ball, creating an urgent rebuild task for Rogers and his new staff.
Practically, that means accelerated recruiting/portal work, accelerated opportunity for younger players, and a likely short-term performance reset.
Read More at College Football HQ
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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has been trying for years now to get more regulations around name, image and likeness (NIL) deals in college sports, saying back in 2023 that the landscape was “in peril.”
Now, in 2025, Cruz sees college football specifically as a “disaster.”
Cruz responded to a post on X, which called the “current college football landscape…unsustainable.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, arrives to a hearing in the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 17, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The Federal Aviation Administration hearing with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation focused on evaluating progress, ensuring accountability and results.(Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
The post pointed out that the Iowa State Cyclones, who just lost longtime head coach Matt Campbell to the vacant Penn State Nittany Lions job, only has 17 players remaining on their roster for next season. Among those players, only one was a starter.
Essentially, the Cyclones will have to field an entirely new roster and team and hope they can jell heading into 2026.
SCORE ACT RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM OVER 20 CONSERVATIVE GROUPS AS NIL REFORM FIGHT REVS UP
Cruz slammed the fact the NCAA allows this.
“An absolute crisis,” he wrote on X. “Congress NEEDS to act. For months, I’ve been working night & day to try to bring Republicans and Democrats together to save college sports.
“If we fail to do so, it will be an utter tragedy. And it’s happening right before our eyes.”
Cruz introduced a bill in 2023, two years after NIL was born, in hopes that tighter regulations would help college sports nationwide. Instead, we’ve seen programs paying for top players through NIL deals, while the transfer portal has allowed players to move from school to school each year.
Cruz is one of the top lawmakers in support of the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, which would give the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption in hopes of protecting the organization from potential lawsuits over eligibility rules and would prohibit athletes from becoming employees of their schools.”
FILE – Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Maryland.(Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)
“The SCORE Act is the free market, individual liberty, limited government fix to the ‘name, image, and likeness (NIL)’ issue in college athletics,’” a letter addressed to House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., read earlier this month.
The groups in favor of the SCORE Act said the bill is the “common-sense way” to establish rules and preempt confusing state laws in the NIL era.
“H.R. 4312 prohibits trial lawyers from suing under federal or state antitrust law. It also provides that athletes receiving NIL compensation need not be employees of these universities, protecting them from compulsory unionization. This means student-athletes can be treated as small business owners, not unionized workers,” the letter added.
The conservative groups framed the SCORE Act as being a better plan than the “Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act,” which has mostly been backed by Democrats. The SCORE Act has at least scored some bipartisanship support in the House.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) holds a press conference with families who lost loved ones in the January 29, 2025, DCA plane crash on Dec. 15, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The bipartisan press conference addressed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) language, which changes military airspace policy.(Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
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The SCORE Act also calls on schools to share revenue, per terms of the House settlement to the tune of 22% “if such rules provide that such pool limit is AT LEAST 22 percent of the average annual college sports revenue of the 70 highest-earning schools.”
Finally, the SCORE Act prohibits schools from using student fees to fund NIL payments.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
Texas football HC Steve Sarkisian details crazy state of NIL, transfer portal appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Even big programs like Texas struggle to keep up with the current state of NIL and the college football transfer portal. After five years with the Longhorns, head coach Steve Sarkisian admits he sometimes struggles to stay up to date.
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Sarkisian, who is now in his third decade as a head coach, leads one of the most-funded organizations in college football at Texas. He still recognizes that there is often a “bottom dollar” that he cannot reach, which can often complicate his offseasons.
“We got to have our list of needs, our list of wants, and our list of luxuries, and then what’s the dollar sign next to all that?” Sarkisian told reporters ahead of the 2025 Citrus Bowl. “And then what’s the bottom dollar from an organizational standpoint. The idea that I can sit up here in 2025 and talk about money and players, it’s pretty crazy. I’m probably going to be on the phone with an agent today that’s gonna throw a number at me that I’m going to be like, ‘Good luck. I hope you get it. If you don’t, call us back, but I can’t do that number.’”
NCAA programs are hit hardest in the offseason, when every player essentially becomes a free agent. The college transfer portal is particularly active in football, with schools rostering more athletes on the gridiron than any other sport.
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That process has already hit Sarkisian and Texas hard in the 2025-2026 offseason. The Longhorns have already lost several key players to the portal, namely leading rusher Quintrevion Wisner.
Texas is also currently responsible for the highest-paid NIL athlete in college sports, with quarterback Arch Manning making an estimated $5.3 million in 2025-2026. Manning is reportedly taking a pay cut to remain in Austin for his redshirt junior season, but he is still set to make a pretty penny in 2026-2027.
Related: Ole Miss football rumors: Officials allege tampering with Lane Kiffin, 6 assistants going to LSU
Related: Penn State RB Kaytron Allen declares for NFL Draft
FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas athletic department’s evolving investment in the name, image and likeness realm is expanding on the cusp of the new year.
The Razorbacks announced Tuesday a new partnership with TheLinkU, which the department hopes will facilitate and streamline operations in the NIL space beyond the school’s revenue-sharing commitment with its roster of athletes.
The announcement came about 2 1/2 months after Arkansas ended its relationship with Blueprint Sports. That move was an outgrowth from the House v. NCAA settlement that allowed participating schools to dole out about $21.5 million per year to athletes through revenue sharing. Arkansas assumed all NIL agreements July 1 following the settlement.
According to a UA release on the partnership with TheLinkU, the agreement “will power the NIL efforts of the Arkansas Front Office to generate legitimate above-the-cap revenue for Arkansas athletes.”
The UA also announced in a release that TheLinkU platform will provide “immediate opportunities for local businesses, brands and donors to engage Arkansas Athletics to partner with athletes” in multiple ways.
“Our partnership with TheLinkU makes us better in a number of ways very quickly,” UA Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. “This helps our student-athletes with legitimate NIL opportunities — both locally and nationally — while also giving our fans and donors the opportunity to easily support our teams or specific athletes.”
TheLinkU was started in 2022 by a group including former University of Houston quarterback Austin Elrod, who is the company’s chief executive officer.
According to the UA release, TheLinkU provides a portfolio of more than 30 national brands and businesses in the realm of technology, finance, apparel and consumer goods.
The outfit also is expected to “simplify the process of working with athletes to promote their businesses,” according to the release.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Arkansas Athletics to build upon the momentum surrounding Razorback student-athletes,” Elrod said in a statement. “Arkansas possesses all the necessary elements to be elite in the NIL era: a passionate fan base, a powerful statewide brand and a connection to some of the world’s most successful businesses.
“Our NIL Ecosystem, led by our national partnership network, brings significant revenue opportunities that benefit student-athletes while providing alumni, fans and business leaders with meaningful ways to participate in the success of the program. Throughout this partnership, we will bring a relentless work ethic that focuses on adding real value to the Razorback network and community.”
