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Whenever you think of Omaha, Nebraska, a couple of things come to mind – one being Warren Buffet and the other being the College World Series. With the newly constructed TD Ameritrade Park right in the center of downtown Omaha, this quaint Midwestern city has suddenly become the epicenter of everything baseball related.
As collegiate powerhouses such as LSU and the University of Miami compete in the center of Nebraska, there is another notable entity looking to make its claim during the festivities in Omaha, and that is adidas Baseball.
With 2015 easily being a banner year for the footwear giant, it’s obvious to see why their spirits remain optimistic as yet another new product will be available to retailers and prospective athletes.
On Thursday, June 11th, I was fortunate enough to attend the adidas Baseball x TaylorMade event in which the new and innovative adidas Afterburner 2 model would be unveiled along with the exclusive and of course innovative, EQT x3 RBZ bat.
Upon entering the hospitable adidas station at the adjacent building, catty-corner from the beautiful TD Ameritrade Park, it was evident that the Three Stripes brand was proud of its latest creation. Speaking earnestly with the product manager of the adidas Afterburner 2, Matt Van Wyen, he would state how important the speed aspect was in the creation of the aforementioned model. Stripping down the ancillary features that may have weighed down previous models, the adidas Afterburner 2 features an EVA foam lining, while resting atop of adidas’ patented adidas SPRINTFRAME plate.
Although the model would lack additional spikes within the outsole for further stability as seen with the adidas energy Boost Icon, Van Wyen would state that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez is chomping at the bit to make this model a part of his daily rotation. Essentially, the adidas Afterburner 2 is designed for speed demons.
Next up would be the EQT x3 RBZ bat, finely tuned within the highly interesting Bat Cave performance facility in Boston. As described by creator and Director of Hargoods Development, John Byrne, this model will ultimately help adidas sponsored schools and athletes achieve success within the batter’s box. Developed through a TaylorMade collaboration, this bat elicits a pure carbon composite modeled layering system, along with “patented power” through the exclusive Energy Recoil System, which limits reverberation and maximizes a hitter’s energy – amongst a myriad of additional features, as seen above.
As the adidas energy Boost Icon rested on the shelf within the adidas x TaylorMade event, along with the newly cemented adidas Afterburner 2 being close by, one thing became clear: adidas gets it. Whether finely conveyed or merely just a direct reflection of their company, this forward thinking brand understands its position and will certainly gain additional traction going forward.
For more on the adidas Afterburner 2, as well as the EQT x3 RBZ bat, head over to adidas News and follow the conversation via @adidasBaseball and #RBZ on Twitter and Instagram.
To see more photos from the event recap, check out the feed below.
