Arena

"With Arena, Horst Dassler demonstrated just how hard- hitting his French team had become. Barely one year after the confrontation with his father, Arena swimwear duly made its debut at the European championships in Berlin, in August 1973. Two years later, at the World Championships in Cali, Colombia, roughly two thirds of the swimmers wore Arena. Horst Das- sler invested $100,000 in the championships, a substantial sum at the time. The money was spent on team sponsorship deals and an agreement with the organizers: the entire pool seemed covered with Arena diamonds. Speedo, the Australian brand that had previously held a virtual monopoly on the swimwear market, appeared completely dumbstruck by the advances of its French rival."

"The task was entrusted to Alain Ronc, a dedicated manager in the export department. Called into Horst Dassler’s office, he furi- ously scribbled notes as Dassler went through his plans for Arena"