How adidas is tackling the sideline pressure pushing athletes to quit

Any sports enthusiast can testify to the fact that sideliner shouts can sometimes overshadow the joy of the sport itself. In a situation that puts a damper on athletes’ spirits, adidas’ rallying cry of “You Got This” has the potential to set things right.

Launching the next phase of its global campaign, the brand spotlights the transformative power of positivity in grassroots sports, armed with insights from a sweeping study of over 12,000 athletes across 24 countries. The findings are stark: 90% of athletes in the UAE and Saudi Arabia regularly encounter unhelpful behaviours from coaches, parents, and spectators – a phenomenon adidas terms the ‘Sideline Effect’.  

The research pinpoints five common actions with the most damaging impact: incessant reminders of the score (“scoreboard shouting”), giving excessive space during low moments, fixating on results, over-coaching mid-game, and immediate post-match critiques. These well-intentioned but counterproductive habits, adidas argues, risk pushing young athletes out of sport altogether. In response, the brand has collaborated with sports psychologists and icons like footballer Lamine Yamal and coach Jürgen Klopp to craft the ‘Sideline Essentials’ – a toolkit of positive behaviours designed to disarm pressure.  

Yamal’s is a name that anyone remotely familiar with football is bound to have heard of, and especially so in the MENA region, where his Moroccan roots and experiences resonate resoundingly with local football fans. The Spanish winger’s growth can only be described as a meteoric rise; he credits his support network for his victories in La Liga and international matches. “Having that trust and support of my family, friends and community has helped me stay in the moment and achieve many of my dreams so far,” he shared.

Klopp, meanwhile, lends his coaching expertise to the initiative, offering actionable advice to replace negativity with encouragement. The potential ripple effect is significant: behavioural scientists estimate that adopting just one positive sideliner behaviour could inspire up to 20 million more athletes worldwide to stay engaged in sport. 

Beyond the theory, adidas is embedding these essentials into grassroots programmes like Breaking Barriers and With Women We Run, ensuring equal access to supportive environments. Florian Alt, adidas’ VP of Global Brand Communications, frames it as a cultural shift: “We set out to create a campaign to highlight how the everyday actions of those in and surrounding the game can be the difference between a young athlete showing up on the starting line or dropping out.”  

As the campaign rolls out, fans can expect surprises: adidas ambassadors will appear at local games worldwide, turning theory into tangible support. For a generation of athletes navigating the noise, the message is clear – support from the sidelines is everything.