Coinciding with the end of a five-year contract with Nike, the Univ. of Tulsa has "signed off on a partnership" with adidas for the next eight years, according to Kelly Hines of the TULSA WORLD. The deal announced yesterday "takes effect July 1 and is for all 18 Hurricane sports." The Nike contract "encompassed most TU sports, including football and basketball, which have worn Nike for the last 14 years." Several TU programs, such as football as recently as '02, have "previously been outfitted by Adidas, and men’s soccer has stood pat with Adidas for the past two decades." TU Senior Associate AD/Administration Brian Scislo, the school's liaison with adidas, said of the brand, "The level of service and the amount of attention they have given us, it's been tremendous." Hines notes along with adidas, TU "received bids from other major outfitters, including Nike and Under Armour." But adidas "brought an added appeal of access to its full line in addition to options for customization, whereas Nike has limitations and reserves certain products for top-tier programs." Scislo: “That stuff mattered. It matters to our student-athletes. It matters to our coaches. It matters to recruits. It’s a very visual representation of who you are” (TULSA WORLD, 2/17).
