Nike saw its profits soar 51%, beating estimates, where revenue for the three months ended August 31, 2007 grew 11% to $4.7 billion. Accompanying the news is Nike's move to depart from the ice hockey business, with Adidas being the most likely buyer.

I remember when Nike introduced their first hockey skate. For a select few it was chique to brag with the swoosh on ice, but it never really took off. After the purchase of Bauer, an established company from Canada, Nike realized the importance of brand awareness. In the meantime, Adidas bought Reebok and introduced it as a hockey brand, with similar challenges.

Even though a new boom in Texas and Florida are helping hockey grow as a sport in hotter climates than Minnesota, the market only holds a few brands. And it's not the only market cap fight between Oregon's Nike and Bavaria's Adidas. The German national football team was offered 500 million Euros from Nike as the team's supplier, thanks to Bierhoff's connections, but eventually decided to stick with Adidas. How much Adidas offered to uphold the current contract would be interesting to know.