The Univ. of CO and Nike reached a sponsorship deal
"that will net the school's athletic department at least"
$5.258M through the summer of 2001, according to Curtis
Eichelberger of the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS. Nike will provide
uniforms for each of the school's 17 teams; pay the athletic
department "a minimum" of $500,000 a year in base
compensation; provide Nike apparel for summer sports camps;
and give coaches up to $49,000 a year in clothing for
"personal use." The agreement also allows Nike to create a
new CU logo for a national marketing campaign and "provides
large incentives for on-field performance." CU will provide
Nike with game tickets, identify Nike as its exclusive
sponsor on TV, and display a Nike sign "prominently" at the
University's Folsom Field (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 6/23).
SHOE NOTES: PA-based AND 1 has signed a deal with
Temple Univ. to provide the school's men's and women's
basketball teams with uniforms, practice gear and warm-up
suits through '98-99. In addition, AND 1 has signed Rutgers
Univ. to a multiyear deal (AND 1)....Tracy McGrady's recent
deal with adidas is valued at $12.3M over six years. In
Washington, Eric Pugh writes that adidas "may have gained
early inroads [over Nike] to McGrady because the company
outfits" McGrady's high school team and that McGrady's
"national breakthrough occurred at a camp sponsored" by
adidas. McGrady said that his shoes "likely will be named
the T-Macs, after the nickname that friends gave him by
combining the letters of his first and last names"
(WASHINGTON POST, 6/23)....TV ads for Converse's Dennis
Rodman signature shoe, the All Star 91, debut today on
national cable and in 10 regional markets. The ads will run
for four weeks. In the spot, a shirtless Rodman opens by
asking, "What do you see when you look at me?" After mixed
game footage and pictures of his tattoos and colored hair,
he adds, "Maybe you'd see me if I didn't have tattoos,
piercings and dye my hair ... maybe if I didn't think for
myself or be myself." The spot ends with Rodman asking,
"Would you see me then?" (Converse).
