View source for Athleta (company)

{{Short description|Brazilian sports equipment}}
{{Coord|35.668333|139.706944|region:JPN|format=dms|display= title}}
{{Infobox brand
| name           = Athleta
| logo           = Athleta sportsbrand logo.png
| logo_size   = 
| image          = 
| image_upright  = 
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| producttype    = [[Sports equipment]]
| currentowner   = The Brand's Company 
| producedby     = 
| country        = [[Japan]]
| introduced     = {{start date and age|1935}} in [[São Paulo]]
| discontinued   = 
| related        = 
| markets        = Brazil, Japan
| previousowners = Santa Isabel Textile
| trademarkregistrations = 
| ambassadors    = 
| tagline        = 
| website        = {{URL|https://www.athleta.co.jp/|athleta.co.jp}}
| module         = <!-- or: misc -->
| module1        = <!-- or: misc1 -->
| footnotes      = 
}}
'''Athleta''' is a [[Brazil]]ian-origin Japanese [[sports equipment]] [[brand]] focused on [[association football]] products.<ref name=ATHLETA2109>{{cite news |url= https://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/geral,fabrica-desativada-abre-acervo-da-selecao,459575 |title= Fábrica desativada abre acervo da seleção (in Portuguese)|author= Valéria França |work= [[Estadão]]}}</ref> The firm manufactures and supplies [[kit (association football)|kit uniforms]], [[ball (association football)|balls]], and [[football boot|boots]].

Athleta was notable for being the brand to supply [[Brazil national football team]] the first (now traditional) yellow and green shirts after the team abandoned the white and blue shirt following the [[Uruguay v Brazil (1950 FIFA World Cup)|''Maracanazo'']] in [[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]].<ref name=pegn>[http://revistapegn.globo.com/Revista/Common/0,,EMI138298-17165,00-UMA+MARCA+TRICAMPEA.html Uma marca tricampeã] by Katia Simões on Revista ''Pequenas Empresas & Grandes Negócios'' #256, May 2010</ref><ref name=hos/>

== History ==
The brand was created in [[Belém (district of São Paulo)|Belém]], city of [[São Paulo|S. Paulo]], Brazil in 1935 by the company Santa Isabel Textile Manufacturing, founded by Antônio de Oliveira.<ref name=ALTH34>{{cite news |url= https://www.athleta.co.jp/about.html |title= About (in Japanese)|author= Athleta |work=}}</ref> The brand "Athleta" was chosen by the company to identify its sporting goods.<ref name=ATHLETA21099>{{cite news |url= https://camisasechuteiras.com/2016/03/a-athleta-esta-de-volta.html |title= A Athleta está de volta! (in Portuguese)|author= Vitor Marins |work= Camisas e Chuteiras}}</ref> In the beginning, it manufactured socks and shirts for amateur sports.

{{quote box|width=300px|bgcolor = #efefef|Athleta's shirt was cotton. When it rained, it weighed about 10 kilos. To take it off, you had to kneel, raise your arms and ask someone to pull. I miss those times.<ref name=pegn/>|author= [[Edu (footballer, born 1949)|Edu]], World Champion with Brazil in 1970}}
In 1954, Athleta became shirt supplier to the [[Brazil national football team|Brazil national team]],<ref name=hos/> sharing duties with British company [[Umbro]] since 1958.<ref name=hos>[https://historyofsoccer.info/brazil-soccer-jersey Brazil Soccer Jersey: The Peculiar Story Of The Canarinho] on History of Soccer website</ref> Athleta (and Umbro itself) were both manufacturers of Brazil jerseys for the [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]], [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]], and [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]] [[FIFA World Cup]]s.<ref>[https://victoryjournal.com/stories/athleta-original/ Athleta original] on Victory Journal</ref> The production was practically artisanal: the sketches were made by hand on sheets of sulfite and the numbers embroidered in dots.<ref name=pegn/> Apart from the national team, Athleta was the brand for several Brazilian clubs including [[Santos FC|Santos]] between the 1950s and the 1980s.<ref name=homefans>[https://homefans.net/homefans-athleta/ Homefans seals partnership with clothing brand Athleta], 18 Jan 2021</ref>

In September 2009 the brand reappeared in the market by the Japanese group "The Brand's Company" (TBC),<ref name="ATHLETA2109"/><ref name="ALTH34"/> a company specialized in the direction, introduction and development of brands. The resumption of the brand began with the project “The Champions' Shirt”, a limited edition of 1,000 copies of the 31 models used by players in the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups. TBC announced that all proceeds would be donated to the Association of World Champions of Brazil, whose objective was to guarantee a dignified future for athletes who have already played for the national team.<ref name=pegn/>

== Sponsorships ==
The following list that are sponsored by Athleta:<ref name=ALTH>{{cite news |url= https://www.athleta.co.jp/club.html |title= サプライチーム (in Japanese)|author= Athleta |work=}}</ref>

=== Association Football ===

==== Clubs teams ====
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[America Football Club (Rio de Janeiro)|America]]<ref name="ath">{{cite web |url=https://americario.com.br/noticias/o-clube/america-formaliza-acordo-com-athleta/ |title=America formaliza acordo com Athleta |date=2024-03-15 |trans-title=America formaliza acordo com Athleta |language=pt |website=americario.com.br}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Mirassol Futebol Clube|Mirassol]]<ref name="ge">{{cite web |url=https://ge.globo.com/sp/tem-esporte/futebol/times/mirassol/noticia/2023/12/18/mirassol-lanca-novos-uniformes-e-elenco-tera-numeracao-fixa-em-2024-veja-fotos.ghtml |title=Mirassol lança novos uniformes e elenco terá numeração fixa em 2024 |date=2023-12-18 |trans-title=Mirassol launches new uniforms and the squad will have a fixed number in 2024; see photos |language=pt |website=ge.globo.com}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Atlético Monte Azul|Monte Azul]]<ref name="Show de Camisas">[https://www.showdecamisas.com.br/2023/12/athleta-e-nova-fornecedora-esportiva-do_23.html Athleta é a nova fornecedora esportiva do Monte Azul] on Show de Camisas, 26 Dez 2023</ref>
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Blaublitz Akita]]<ref name="ALTH"/> 
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[FC Maruyasu Okazaki]]<ref name=okaspon>{{cite news |url= http://fc-maruyasu.jp/ |title= ユニフォーム (in Japanese)|author=マルヤス工業フットボールクラブ |work=}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kochi United SC]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Orca Kamogawa FC]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Suzuka Point Getters]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tochigi SC]]<ref name="ALTH"/> 
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tokyo Verdy]]<ref name="ALTH"/>
* {{flagicon|TWN}} Kaohsiung Sunny Bank
{{div col end}}

==== Athletes ====
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Léo Souza|Leonardo Souza]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Noriyoshi Sakai]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Junki Koike]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keisuke Oyama]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keigo Numata]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Keisuke Fukaya
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ozu Moreira]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takumi Uesato]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Teppei Yachida]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ryota Kajikawa]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Sho Omori]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuji Senuma]]
{{div col end}}

=== Futsal ===

====Club teams====
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Deução Kobe]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Pescadola Machida]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Vasagey Oita]]
{{div col end}}

==== Athletes ====
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|BRA}} Leonardo Silva
* {{flagicon|BRA}} Jonathan Araujo
* {{flagicon|BRA}} {{flagicon|JPN}} Guilherme Kuromoto
* {{flagicon|BRA}} {{flagicon|JPN}} Marcos Honda
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Ken Hinenoya
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yuhki Kanayama
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Ito Keita
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Gensuke Mori
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Ryoto Kai
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yudai Takahashi
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yuta Kokado
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takumi Nagasawa]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Kentarō Ishida
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yuto Nishimura
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Keigo Shibayama
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Mitsuru Nakamura
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yusei Arai
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Shota Horigome
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yuta Kimura 
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Hyuga Saito
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Shuto Nakata
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yuta Tsutsumi
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yuki Nochimura
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Yukari Miyahara
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Kaho Ito
* {{flagicon|JPN}} Sara Oino
* {{flagicon|POR}} [[Arthur Guilherme]]
{{div col end}}

== Past Sponsorships ==

=== Association football ===

====Associations====
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Federação Paulista de Futebol|FPF]]

====National Teams====
* {{fb|BRA}} (1954–1977)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.athletabrasil.com/a-athleta|title=Athleta - A Marca|author=Athleta Brasil|access-date=26 August 2021}}</ref>
* {{fb|PAR}} <ref>[http://athletaoficial.com.br/historia Nossa História], 21 Apr 2022</ref>

====Club teams====
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas|Botafogo]] (1957–1969)
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Cruzeiro Esporte Clube|Cruzeiro]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[CR Flamengo|Flamengo]] (1970–79)
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Fluminense FC|Fluminense]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Grêmio FBPA|Grêmio]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[SC Internacional|Internacional]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Clube Atlético Juventus|Juventus]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[SE Palmeiras|Palmeiras]] (1960–67)
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Associação Portuguesa de Desportos|Portuguesa]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Santos FC|Santos]] (1956–1979)
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Esporte Clube São Bento|São Bento]] (2022–23)
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (1960–67)
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[CR Vasco da Gama|Vasco da Gama]] (1963–1978)
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Avispa Fukuoka]] (2015–17)
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Okayama Yunogo Belle]] (2018–2020)
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Vanraure Hachinohe]] (2015–2020)
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[New York Cosmos (1970–1985)|Cosmos]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nycosmosofficialjerseycollection.com/ |title=New York Cosmos kit history at New York Cosmos Jersey Collection |access-date=June 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142326/https://www.nycosmosofficialjerseycollection.com/ |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (1977–78)
{{div col end}}

====Athletes====
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Pelé]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Félix Miélli Venerando|Félix]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Jairzinho]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Rivellino]]
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Tostão]]
{{div col end}}

=== Futsal ===

====Club teams====
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Sorocaba Futsal|Magnus]] (2016–2021)<ref>{{cite web|date=14 January 2016|title=Futsal: Após perder patrocínio, time de Falcão muda nome para 'Magnus'|trans-title=Futsal: After losing its sponsorship, Falcão's team changes its name to 'Magnus'|url=http://esportes.terra.com.br/lance/futsal-apos-perder-patrocinio-time-de-falcao-muda-nome-para-magnus,6a2e9054693763dc0450371630caba42un1yicaa.html|website=Terra|access-date=1 November 2018|language=Portuguese|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814073249/http://esportes.terra.com.br/lance/futsal-apos-perder-patrocinio-time-de-falcao-muda-nome-para-magnus,6a2e9054693763dc0450371630caba42un1yicaa.html |archive-date=2016-08-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ge.globo.com/sp/tem-esporte/futsal/noticia/sorocaba-futsal-anuncia-cinco-reforcos-e-novo-fornecedor-de-material-esportivo.ghtml |title=Sorocaba Futsal anuncia cinco reforços e novo fornecedor de material esportivo |date=2022-01-19 |trans-title=Sorocaba Futsal announces five reinforcements and new supplier of sporting equipment |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}

{{Sports equipment brands}}
{{Portal bar|Japan|Sports|Transport|Companies}}

[[Category:Sporting goods manufacturers of Brazil]]
[[Category:Sportswear brands]]
[[Category:Brazilian brands]]
[[Category:Clothing companies of Japan]]
[[Category:Sporting goods manufacturers of Japan]]
[[Category:Japanese brands]]
[[Category:Athletic shoe brands]]
[[Category:Clothing companies established in 1935]]
[[Category:Sporting goods brands]]
[[Category:1935 establishments in Brazil]]
[[Category:1935 establishments in Japan]]