The Univ. of Michigan and Nike have agreed to a $7M-plus
endorsement contract -- "the largest such deal in the history of
collegiate sports," according to Michigan AD Joe Roberson. Nike
outbid Reebok to become the "exclusive on-field supplier to all
22 Wolverines men's and women's sports." The endorsement fee
will be added to the over $300,000 in cash and goods Nike already
pays Michigan coaches and other athletic officials. Nike will
have the exclusive rights to design uniforms and sell apparel
with the Michigan logo. The deal runs through 2000. SPECIFICS:
Nike will give the school around $1M in shoes and apparel, make a
$75,000 cash payment to the athletic program, endow two
scholarships in women's athletics, fund a yearlong fellowship in
sports journalism, and pay $45,000 into a scholarship endowment
begun by Chris Webber. Roberson said he approached both Nike and
Reebok (Falls & Girard, DETROIT NEWS, 10/20). Columnist Joe
Falls notes Michigan will also "benefit from the TV, magazine,
and newspaper ads Nike will put out to exploit its connection
with one of the nation's top athletic programs." Nike gets to
"cash in on a school that is probably the most widely televised"
in the country (DETROIT NEWS, 10/20).
