Shares in German sports goods maker Adidas rose as much as 3 percent on Monday, with traders citing market talk of takeover interest from U.S. rival Nike. Rumours say the company might be mulling a takeover bid for German rival Adidas, but a spokesman for Nike declined to comment. He said the company does not comment on market rumours.

'The rumour is a rehashed older rumour and I really don't think there is much to it,' a Frankfurt-based trader said earlier today, after shares of Adidas rose in reaction to the speculation.

Pony International announced the re-launch of the famous footwear company once known for iconic performance and creativity with "Back In the Game," a clever marketing campaign designed to return the once category leader back to prominence.

"The Pony brand has always been a classic. From its incubation on the streets of New York to the way it once ran the floors of professional arenas. We're eager to show the world that Pony is once again 'Back In the Game,' commented Pony CEO Kevin Wulff. "From the form and function upgrades we've made to our products, to our new marketing campaign, we are now delivering on all cylinders."

Born in Brooklyn in 1972, Pony quickly became the premier sports brand of the 70's and 80's with legendary pitchmen such as Muhammad Ali, Dan Marino, Reggie Jackson and Pele.

Nike and Umbro today announced that Steve Makin, Chief Executive Officer and Board member of Umbro Plc, has decided to leave the company. Effective immediately, Makin will be succeeded as President and CEO by Matthew Cook, who most recently was General Manager of Nike Italy.

Makin joined Umbro in July 2006 as Chief Financial Officer, a position he held until June 2007 when he became Chief Executive. Prior to Umbro, Makin served at Asda and Wal-Mart from 1991 holding a number of financial and non-financial roles, including a two-year posting to Germany as Wal-Mart’s Commercial Finance Director. With the completion of Nike’s acquisition of Umbro effective today, Makin decided the time was right to make a transition.

TOFFS, the old fashioned football shirt company launched their new website today. Take a look HERE.

Formed way back in 1990…Alan Finch recreated Arsenal’s classic 1949/50 gold cup final shirt. The process then was to purchase a small piece of cotton drill from the local department store, Fenwick, and then buy a Dylon dye.

Then proceeded to dye the white drill cotton gold, take the fabric to a local dressmaker with a pattern from an original Arsenal shirt and get Joyce the dressmaker to make it up!  Good at art, Alan then drew a badge on a piece of cardboard and walked nervously into the Arsenal Commercial Offices to pitch the idea. They loved it! Why wouldn’t they?!

CNBC's premiere of their in-depth look at the history of Nike and its cultural attachment with society is set to hit a television near you on February 12th. A trailer from the inaugural episode address' the campaign behind "Just Do It", the slogan that would go on to become a house hold phrase around the world.

The Swoosh is one of the world's most instantly recognisable logos and is seen adorning countless trainers and items of sportswear. Yet the emblem, which became the basis for the multibillion-dollar Nike brand, was designed by a little-known university student named Carolyn Davidson who charged Nike just $35 for her design.

Puma has signed a deal with sports network Eurosport to sponsor its live coverage of the forthcoming African Cup of Nations.

The sportswear brand is using the deal, brokered by media agency ZenithOptimedia, to promote its new ‘Until then…’ campaign that has been developed to promote the new v1.08 football boot. The campaign will run throughout the duration of the tournament which runs from 20 January until 10 February.

JJB Sports has hit out at Umbro, saying that it will buy record low numbers of the new England away shirt because it is poorly designed, exacerbating the problem of the national football team's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

Chris Ronnie, JJB's new chief executive, said of the new shirts which are due to be released next month: "We don't think that Umbro has gone about the design in the right way." He was speaking as the company issued a profit warning, saying that while like-for-like sales in the six weeks to January 6 rose by 2.5pc, margins were hit as the sports retailer slashed prices to shift old stock.

Sports chain JJB Sports has agreed to pay back consumers who were unlawfully overcharged for football shirts. It’s agreed to give part-refunds to fans after Which? took legal action against the high street chain.

JJB was part of a cartel of seven companies fined a total of more than £16 million in 2003 for fixing the price of England and Manchester United football shirts in 2000 and 2001. Fans who paid up to £39.99 for certain England and Manchester United football shirts during specific periods in 2000 or 2001 and joined the "which" case against JJB Sports will receive a payment of £20 each.