In the past few years, numerous athletes around the globe have been paying hefty fines for wearing a new brand of gear that has been helping them play better and has increased their comfort.
So what piece of apparel is so great that these athletes don’t mind deliberately breaking league sponsorship rules?
Socks.
Well, TruSox to be exact. TruSox has taken a hi-tech approach to the way way socks can assist in gameplay with their INEX technology and non-slip performance pads that are installed on both the inside and outside of the foot grips.
Get The Latest Sports Tech News In Your Inbox!
Jim Cherneski, previous player-coach for Crystal Palace USA and founder/chief executive of TruSox, first came up with the plan to create this product back in 2007 after years of dealing with his feet moving inside his soccer cleats during games. Obviously he wasn’t the only one having this issue so once players started throwing TruSox on, they were hooked.
Elite athletes such as Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, England cricketer Joe Root, rugby player Owen Farrell and numerous U.S. men’s and women’s national team players (some who remain anonymous) have been seen sporting the socks during games against their team’s and league’s wishes. In an effort to make it less obvious, the players have been cutting off the feet of the team socks and wearing the sleeve over TruSox. Even so, the brand’s signature dot markings on the back of the socks still make them easily noticed.
There have been multiple statements issued from the teams and their apparel sponsors:
“adidas asks that our contracted players and clubs do not wear prominent branding that infringes our rights as a sponsor.” (adidas)
“We invest in innovation for every aspect of the uniforms we create, including socks. We also adhere to the guidelines issued by soccer’s governing bodies on use of branding and logos on all parts of those uniforms, including the socks.” (Nike)
“The uniform socks are included under Adidas’ partnership with MLS. Adidas has exclusive rights as they are part of the on-field uniform. Thus, a player wearing TruSox is in violation of our agreement with Adidas.” (MLS)
Chernasky is in awe of how the athletes are going to huge lengths to continue to wear his product. “The athletes’ agents are against it, the clubs are against it and the companies they have the deals with are against it but the players just keep wearing them. It’s an unbelievable testament to the product,” said Chernasky. For the athletes to go through these hassles to use this gear is indeed remarkable. So the ultimate question would be… do they actually work?
“They definitely work. In the beginning, it was sort of a novelty. What is that? Why are they wearing those? What’s so good about them? I want to try them,” said an unnamed player on the U.S. national team. “Aesthetically, they kind of have a cool look that’s sort of subtle, but you can definitely tell people are wearing them. Then you put them on, and straight away they’re comfortable. They fit.”
TruSox has been a growing phenomenon since 2012. The plan for the product is for it to eventually become a brand (TruAthletic) that can compete with big name companies like Nike and Under Armour. With last year’s sales jumping to $3.2 million in only four years, it looks like that plan could become reality sooner than they think.