UCLA Signs With Nike, Jordan Brand
UCLA has a new athletic apparel, equipment, and footwear deal.
In a six year deal that goes into effect on July 1, 2021, UCLA has come to terms with Nike to make Nike and Jordan Brand the Bruins' official athletic footwear, apparel and equipment provider.
22 of the 25 athletic teams will have uniforms, footwear, apparel, and equipment supplied by Nike, while the football and men's and women's basketball programs will be outfitted with the Jordan Brand "Jumpman" product. UCLA will be the only school in the Pac-12 and only the fifth in the country to supply Jordan Brand products to their football and basketball teams.
In the full press release, UCLA’s athletic director Martin Jarmond was quoted as saying, "UCLA Athletics is elite, and our student-athletes deserve every resource in their pursuit of excellence. We sought to work with the best in the world; that is Nike and Jordan Brand."
A video narrated by famous basketball alumni Russell Westbrook and Jordin Canada ends with Jarmond in a Jumpman t-shirt. UCLA believes this partnership could push recruiting even further and give UCLA athletes uniform options that the younger generation is looking for when they are choosing where to take their talents.
In addition to supplying athletic wear and equipment, Nike also will support UCLA Athletics' student-athlete development programs by offering two summer internships per calendar year to UCLA students, and annually host a group of selected UCLA students at its headquarters for an educational experience.
Officially licensed gear will be available for public purchase beginning in Fall 2021, and the first place products will be available will be at the UCLA Store.
After Under Armour pulled out of a 15-year deal with UCLA, this is welcome news and a nice move forward for the athletic programs. It is clear Jarmond is pushing UCLA to the forefront of college athletics and has a vested interest in who UCLA is partnered with. This six-year deal is not expected to be as large as the $280 million dollar deal UCLA signed with Under Armour. UCLA is currently suing Under Armour for $200 million for breach of contract.
Go Bruins!
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"This six year deal is not expected to be as large as the $280 million dollar deal UCLA signed with Under Armour. UCLA is currently suing Under Armour for $200 million for breach of contract."
The mind-rot senility I am beset with has caused me to forget the actual revenue stream of the Under Armour deal. I am guessing it was about $280 mil for the entire term of 15 years, right? However, Nike seems a little more stable and the revenue stream from this will certainly be helpful in (1) reducing the onerous burden of debt that Donut Dan saddled us with from his mind-boggling obscene financial [mis]management of UCLA athletics and (2) perhaps seed a sinking fund to buy out that revolting tub of goo feetsball coach and dietitian to the rich and famous who has catered cuisine delivered to his oval spheroidsters at stratospheric prices.
I am not a huge fan of Jarmond but this is the first positive ray of sunshine cracking over the Hills of Westwood in a long, long while. I will keep an open mind so long as the Boston College escapee gets the kids back on a meatloaf-and-mashed-taters regime where they belong instead of this seven figure Wolfgang Puck wannabe fare they are currently shoveling down their 19-year-old maws.
As to the Under Armour suit, if our sharks are better than their sharks, the whole affair shrieks of "settle out of court for an undisclosed amount of cash". (I am thinking splitting the difference at $100 mil paid off over a multi-year period.) Hopefully, some of that can also go towards rocketing that round mound of non-profound football strategy out of SoCal and back to the pig farm in New Hampshire from whence he came.
Credit to AD Jarmond for getting what sounds like a pretty good deal. U.C.L.A. frankly had almost no leverage in this process. Crawling back to Adidas wasn't going to be very profitable or respectable for us, so Nike was really the only major option left. With our highest profile teams struggling lately and the Pac-12 as a whole not adding much to lift all boats, I didn't expect anything near the record setting UA deal. If it's anything reasonable, then, well done!
I think getting a relatively short term deal was a smart move, too. Basketball is trending way up, and who knows what sort of advances football can make in the next 5 years (esp with a new coach?), but it likely can't be any worse than what we have now. So hopefully we'll be a much more attractive and competitive client pretty soon and, adding in the issues Dimitri noted below, be in line for a bigger payday in just a few more years. Add in a big settlement with UA, and this deal just might rescue the Athletic Dept from the dark and dank depths of Dan's decimation.
Now, Mr. Jarmond, about that on campus football stadium idea...