Adidas has launched a global campaign to disarm negative pressure in sports by encouraging positive influence from coaches, parents, supporters, and teammates. The brand has created ‘Sideline Essentials’, five positive behaviors that could encourage up to 20 million more athletes to play sports more regularly. The campaign, endorsed by major sports figures like Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, aims to disarm the ‘Sideline Effect,’ which is the impact of negative and positive behaviors from the sidelines. The campaign, in partnership with sports psychologists and figureheads, aims to highlight common behaviors that can act as a source of pressure and push young athletes to quit.

The research surveyed over 12,000 athletes across 24 countries and found the following actions were identified as having the most negative impact on young athletes’ desire to participate in sports:

  • Reminders of the score during a game – scoreboard shouting
  • Giving athletes space when having a bad day – standing back
  • Just concentrating on the result – focusing only on the outcome
  • Excessive instruction during gameplay – videogame coaching
  • Immediate post-match analysis – the post-game analyst

To counter this, adidas has created its ‘Sideline Essentials,’ which have been developed with sports experts, validated by the findings from the research, and endorsed by sporting icons including Anthony Edwards and more. The advice includes practical intel on how to switch to positive behaviors.

The ‘Sideline Essentials’ are delivered by coaching icon Jurgen Klopp and reveal how coaches, parents, supporters, and teammates on the sidelines can tackle the most common negative behaviors. They provide high-impact, positive action, which could mean the difference between millions of athletes heading out onto the field or quitting altogether.

Reflecting on the importance of positivity in sports, Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, said: “Competing comes with pressure—it’s just part of the game, but as I’ve grown in my career, I’ve come to appreciate the people in my corner who have always had my back. Like my guy Nick Maddox—since high school,l he’s been there for me through highs and lows, and his belief in me, his support, and his encouragement have kept me going. He’s not just about the scoreboard, he knows my game, trusts my instincts, and helps me stay locked in. That’s exactly what Adidas’ Sideline Essentials is all about—having the right support, on and off the court. Everyone needs a person in their corner, giving them the confidence to push harder and believe they can do anything.”

Behavioral scientists project that if coaches, parents, supporters, and teammates adopted just one of the positive behaviors from adidas ‘Sideline Essentials,’ it could help encourage up to 20 million more athletes to play sports more regularly.

To see the advice play out pitch-side, adidas is working with its icons to show up for grassroots athletes on sidelines across the globe, with some of the world’s best athletes set to appear on local courts, tracks, and pitches in the coming weeks.

Speaking on the campaign, Florian Alt, Vice President of global Brand Communications at adidas, said: “This latest chapter of the brand campaign aims to help motivate everyone to be a positive influence on every pitch, track, and court. 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 part of this ambition, we wanted to not only inspire coaches, parents, supporters, and teammates but also to give them the tools to help athletes believe ‘You Got This.'”

As part of the brand’s wider, long-standing commitment to keeping next-gen athletes on every playing field of sport, it will distribute its Sideline Essentials to longstanding partners and programs. Recipients will include the Breaking Barriers program across Europe, the adidas Football Collective, and With Women We Run, all of which are designed to support grassroots athletes and help make sports equal around the world. For further information about this initiative,s please visit adidas.com.ph.