South Carolina and Under Armour will remain business partners through June 2026, the university announced Friday. A business relationship that began in 2007 has been a rewarding one for South Carolina, and now that partnership will continue for at least another decade.
“Under Armour has been a great partner of Gamecock athletics for a long time,” South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner said in a released statement. “This agreement will benefit our student-athletes in a variety of ways. Under Armour’s relentless pursuit of innovation, making athletics better through performance design, advances the mission of our program. Their financial commitment also helps provide the resources needed to help our student-athletes have a championship experience at Carolina.”
The newly extended contract with Under Armour will net South Carolina a reported $71.5 million over the next 10 years. Only Auburn will make more off a uniform apparel deal by receiving $78.1 million. Auburn is also an Under Armour school. For the sake of comparison and, perhaps, an illustration of how apparel deals have escalated, Alabama signed a deal with Nike in 2010 that was, at that point in time, the most lucrative deal in college sports with a value of $30 million in cash. Alabama’s deal with Nike is due to expire in 2018. Georgia’s Nike deal, signed last spring, is worth $40 million through the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.
Ohio State’s newest contract with Nike signed in January is valued at $252 million over 15 years. Texas is going to earn $250 million and Michigan will pull in $170 million through their deals with Nike.
South Carolina has been a key part of the Under Armour family since the company started getting invested in college uniforms, and the company has been investing in a big way. Under Armour is not going to catch Nike, but it can take on (and pass) Adidas in the game. Notre Dame signed a $90 million deal with Under Armour in January 2014, ending a partnership with Adidas. Last October, Wisconsin ditched Adidas as well in favor of Wisconsin. The Badgers signed a 10-year deal valued at $96 million. Wisconsin’s Under Armour uniforms will make their debut this fall. Michigan also signed with Nike after previously being signed to Adidas.
“The University of South Carolina has been one of our landmark partnerships within the NCAA and SEC,” said Ryan Kuehl, Vice President, Sports Marketing and Sponsorships, Under Armour. “The Gamecocks are a key part of our brand story and we look forward to continuing that story together as we provide world-class, innovative product to their student-athletes and the entire Gamecock community.”
Other schools signed by Under Armour include Navy, Texas Tech, Northwestern, Cincinnati, Boston College, Utah and, of course, Maryland.
