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Adidas denies it wants McGrady in U.S.
As some frustrated Raptors fans organize a boycott of Adidas, a company spokesman says it is a mere spectator in the Tracy McGrady free-agent sweepstakes.
"There is no bias in Tracy's shoe contract," said John Kawaja, the vice-president of sales and marketing for Adidas Canada. Kawaja was responding to rumours -- circulated through Internet bulletin boards -- that McGrady's shoe contract with Adidas provides for a huge raise if he leaves the Raptors and signs in a big United States market, such as Chicago.
"Personally, I hope Tracy stays in Toronto, because I'm a Raptors fan," said Kawaja, a former world-champion curler with Ed Werenich's rink.
"But as an organization, we will respect the decision Tracy makes and follow him wherever he goes. He gets the same money from us regardless of where he's playing."
David Gersovitz, a Toronto resident and Raptors season-ticket holder, is one of the forces behind the attempted Adidas boycott, although the movement will have more of a central rallying point if its planned Web site surfaces.
Gersovitz said it is immaterial whether there is an actual clause in McGrady's shoe contract which pushes him toward the U.S., because Adidas' allegedly lackadaisical marketing of McGrady in the Toronto area has had the same effect.
"It's not Adidas' job to keep Tracy in Canada," Gersovitz said. "But as fans we have the right to channel our spending power toward companies that support athletes in Toronto. It's almost as if Adidas is waiting for Tracy to get to another city before it markets him aggressively.
"What message does that send to Tracy?"
Kawaja admitted Adidas has taken a "soft-sell" approach to marketing McGrady, but said it is not a conspiratorial strategy.
"We proceeded carefully with Tracy when we signed him as an 18-year-old (three years ago)," said Kawaja, whose company started to receive e-mails threatening a boycott about a week ago.
PRESSURE
"To be the centre of a marketing campaign is a lot of pressure. We made some errors with (Los Angeles Lakers star) Kobe Bryant, who also went from high school to the NBA. And frankly, Tracy's play early on did not warrant spending a lot of money on promotion.
"We've been waiting for Tracy to mature. Kobe will continue to be the focus of our basketball message, but we'll do more with Tracy in the future, whether he's in Toronto or elsewhere."
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