When you see a group of student-athletes all wearing the same colors and logo on their uniforms, it becomes a defining characteristic of the university they represent. It’s a source of pride and helps them feel connected to one another.
That’s why I’m incredibly excited to announce the extension of our partnership with adidas as exclusive apparel provider. With this extension, I believe we’ll be at the top of the FCS in terms of our apparel partnership.
This was a competitive bid process, and we had a lot of interest from national brands. But in the end, adidas wanted to continue our partnership, and they were willing to go above and beyond to make it happen.
Other than the obvious benefits to our student-athletes, this partnership benefits the entire campus community. We are grateful for the guidance LEONA provided throughout the apparel rights process.
Comprehensive Commitment
When people think of adidas partnering with a school, they often think of football and basketball. But this partnership brings value to our entire athletics department.
You’ll see that logo on all of our sports teams. That includes women’s tennis, soccer, wrestling and more. This consistency is crucial for our department and campus because it shows that we’re all united under one brand.
When our wrestlers are competing at the national championship or our tennis team is playing in the NIT, everyone will know who they’re representing. It’s an extremely important and relevant partnership.
The BSN Advantage
One of the added benefits of this agreement is our partnership with BSN SPORTS, who executes the agreement for adidas. They’re just down the road and will bring the next year’s new product to campus every winter.
Their customer service is going to have a major impact. Each individual program will have its own pop-up store where fans can buy the same gear that the coaches and players wear. A percentage of those sales go directly back to the programs, which is something we haven’t had before.
This connection with BSN SPORTS and adidas feels more like a partnership than a business relationship. It’s exciting to work with individuals who are committed to helping us elevate our programs.
Gamechanger
This agreement with adidas and BSN SPORTS is a gamechanger for our entire campus community. It’s not just about uniforms and apparel; it’s about the impact it can have on the university as a whole.
There are large units on campus that will benefit from a broad range of apparel, and the consistency of having the same brand across campus is invaluable. That along with the flash stores will have a real impact on campus.
I’m most excited about the impact it will have inside the Roundhouse. There are resources we can share with specific areas within our department that will directly help each unit and bring great value to being an athletics employee.
From flash stores to equipment to the effect this agreement has on our entire campus, I’m excited about the next five years. I think we’re elevating what’s been done here through this partnership with adidas and BSN.
