Memphis Now A Nike School
University of Memphis signs deal for Nike apparel
Five-year contract calls for sporting goods giant to outfit Tiger athletic teams
By Jim Masilak (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Hailing it as the largest deal of its kind for a non-Bowl Championship Series school, officials from the University of Memphis and Nike on Wednesday said they have agreed in principle on a deal to outfit each of the school's athletic teams with the famous "Swoosh" logo.
U of M athletic director R.C. Johnson said the all-encompassing nature of the five-year, $11.3 million deal, which takes effect immediately, is rare among schools from outside the established power conferences.
"We first envisioned this seven or eight years ago," Johnson said. "The contract is unbelievable and we're really proud of it. It's a prestigious thing. It speaks volumes about our coaching staff and speaks volumes about our boosters and our fans."
Describing the deal with the U of M as a "harmonic convergence" between the city and the company, Nike's director of college sports marketing, Kit Morris, said the sporting goods giant is "honored" to add Memphis to the list of schools with which it has "important comprehensive partnerships."
Previously, the Tigers had been serviced by a number of companies through sport-specific contracts. While Nike provided equipment for the Tigers' football and women's basketball teams, the school also had deals with adidas, Bridgestone and Under Armour for various sports.
"We really drove hard that we wanted to get an all-sports deal," Johnson said. "It simplifies everything."
The deal will see Nike supply game and practice gear and apparel for each of the Tigers' 18 varsity teams, assist in the further development of women's athletics and provide sponsorship for certain events.
Once the outfitting costs are determined, the remaining cash will go to the athletic department for disbursement as it sees fit.
"It's just a fantastic deal," Johnson said. "We're so excited about it."
While Nike's roster of affiliated schools includes traditional powers like Penn State, Southern Cal and the University of Florida, it is probably most synonymous in the collegiate sphere with Oregon, the alma mater of company founder Phil Knight.
The Ducks' football and men's basketball teams, for better or for worse, have been on the cutting edge in terms of uniform design style.
It remains to be seen whether Memphis, situated in an important distribution area, will be used in a similar fashion.
"It depends on the school's appetite," Morris said. "We want it to reflect the values of the institution. We want people to look and say, 'They nailed it.'
"What's right for Oregon may be different from what's right for USC or Florida."
Morris declined to say whether Nike has an all-encompassing apparel deal with any other non-BCS schools. While the high-profile nature of the men's basketball team under Calipari automatically made Memphis an attractive proposition, the Tigers' non-BCS status in football wasn't a deterrent.
"I do know what the university's ambitions are for the football program," Morris said. "While currently they don't have BCS designation, they have BCS goals and aspirations.
"Sometimes it's a matter of identifying opportunities when the time is right. When they move up, we want to be in the elevator moving up with them."
-- Jim Masilak: 529-2311
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