After more than a quarter of a century with Nike, Miami athletics has itself a brand-new apparel partner.
As was reported as a possibility more than three weeks ago, Miami announced Thursday morning it has signed a deal that will make adidas “the official athletic footwear, apparel and accessory brand of the Hurricanes” and its 18 athletic programs. UM is now one of 13 licensed NCAA programs under adidas’ umbrella, with the apparel maker now associated with more than 70 collegiate programs.
The other 12 licensed NCAA programs include Michigan, Texas A&M, UCLA, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Louisville, Mississippi State, Indiana, Kansas, Cincinnati, North Carolina State and Arizona State.
“The University of Miami was the first college program to excel as a national brand with championship play on the field, changing the game of college athletics,” said Mark King, adidas Group North America president, in a statement. “Their unmatched success, national relevance and cultural significance make them a perfect fit for adidas as we continue to significantly invest and grow our business in the U.S. Florida is a key battleground and home to some of the best athletic talent in the country. We’re proud to have Miami as a key pillar of our future business.”
“The University of Miami is thrilled to partner with adidas, a world-class organization whose creativity, technology and quality have made it among the world’s leaders in athletic apparel,” said UM athletic director Blake James. “The multi-year agreement will enable us to enhance our student-athlete experience by providing top-quality apparel and equipment to our students and coaches in addition to adding significant resources to support our Department. Our new partnership will help expand the UM brand locally, nationally and globally and will help Miami to continue to be one of the nation’s premier athletic programs.”
The agreement between The U and adidas is for 12 years in length and runs through 2027-28 seasons. It will officially go into effect Sept. 1.
Nike had been the university’s apparel partner for 26 years.
