Michigan signs 8 year deal with adidas
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Originally Posted by The Wolverine
Goodbye Nike - hello adidas.
Michigan athletic director Bill Martin announced a surprising parting of the ways with the former and new collaboration with the latter on July 10, an agreement in which adidas will supply footwear and apparel for all 25 of the university's athletic teams.
The new agreement begins with the 2008-09 academic year and extends through the 2016-17 season. The agreement is valued at $7.5 million annually in cash and merchandise over the eight-year period.
"We are excited and proud of our new collaboration with adidas," Martin said in a statement. "adidas will outfit our student-athletes and teams from head to toe, while providing additional resources for our athletic department. The quality of adidas' product and their dedication to service, on-site and to all of our teams, makes adidas a terrific partner for us."
U-M teams will start wearing adidas footwear, uniforms, training apparel and accessories exclusively in 2008, joining Notre Dame, UCLA, Tennessee, Indiana, Nebraska and Wisconsin, among others in partnering with the sporting goods giant.
"The partnership between adidas and Michigan brings together two powerful brands that both stand for performance and excellence," Martyn Brewer, Head of US Sports Marketing for adidas, told MgoBlue.com. "Michigan is a marquis program and we are honored to add a university so rich in tradition to the adidas family of schools."
Added U-M athletics Chief Financial Officer Jason Winters: "We believe the new partnership is one of the strongest in college sports. Funding from the new agreement will provide added resources to our long term facility renewal plan."
This is absolutely terrible news. I am a huge Nike supporter and they clearly make the best of the best from their shoes, shirts, hats and their innovative technology such as Dri-fit, tighter fitting uniforms, and their new iPod technology. To me, adidas' gear looks cheaper an nowhere near as good looking as Nike's. I told Tre last night, I'd much rather us lose McGuffie than sign a deal with adidas. I can't buy any new Michigan gear until 2017. YUCK! [smilie=rant.gif]