Gone are the days where Nike and adidas monopolize the apparel markets in collegiate sports. Gaining much notoriety because of a superstar lineup that includes Stephen Curry, Bryce Harper, and Tom Brady, Under Armour furthered their credibility by announcing a record 15-year, $280-million shoe and apparel deal with the UCLA Bruins.
Before this deal, the largest recorded was between Nike and Ohio State which was $252-million for 15 years.
Under Armour outfits the uniforms for many college programs, most notably are Maryland (Kevin Plank’s alma mater), Texas A&M, Notre Dame, and California.
The deal states that the Bruins will get $15 million up front, followed by $11 million in subsequent years for marketing and rights fees, per the LA Times’ David Wharton. UCLA’s current contract with adidas is coming to an end, and the university began talking with both Nike and adidas to see if they could agree on something.
Nothing came of it, and the administration grew fond of Under Armour. Dan Guerrero, UCLA’s athletic director, said that UA is “still in their infancy, but look at the explosive growth they’ve had.” He continued by saying “they’re aggressive, they’re motivated and we liked that.”
Along with providing clothes and shoes, UA will also be contributing $2 million to upgrade select facilities on campus.
