Mario Goetze Warned Over Sponsor Mistake
October 18, 2013
Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Goetze has been warned by the club’s CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge not to be manipulated by his sponsors.
The 21-year-old, who recently joined the German champions for €37 million, wore a Nike t-shirt during his first press conference with Bayern, despite Adidas being major sponsors and 10% owners of the club. Goetze was fined €20,000 for the incident.
During the recent international break, Goetze was again pictured wearing Nike apparel instead of Adidas, who also sponsor the German national team.
Goetze said that he needed to wear the compression socks as a result of a injury he had recently picked up, though he admitted his error. He said: “I did not want to provoke or advertise. I can promise one thing: This will not happen to me again.”
Asked whether he thought Nike had encouraged Goetze to wear their brand, Rummenigge responded: “Could be. I don’t know. Maybe it’s the sponsor’s intention. I could imagine that. But he should not allow anyone to misuse him. That would be my advice for him.”