The Univ. of Oregon and longtime athletics sponsor Nike have "reached a tentative deal on a new 11-year apparel sponsorship" worth $88M in cash and apparel, according to Saul Hubbard of the Eugene REGISTER-GUARD. It represents a "significant increase" from UO's current deal, in which the school "receives a base payment of $600,000" and $2.4M worth of Nike products. The new agreement's average annual base value of $8M would place UO "among the nation's top 10 for most lucrative university sports sponsorships." The new deal will go to the UO BOT late next week for approval. UO will receive $2M a year in cash from Nike until '23, and $2.5M a year until '28. The school would also receive $5M "worth of apparel annually to start, gradually increasing" to $6M for the '22-23 school year. The deal also includes a $3M signing bonus and is "retroactive to the start of this school year." UO would also see an "increase in the royalties it receives from the sale of Oregon-themed Nike products," to 15% from 12% (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 12/1). In Portland, Jeff Manning reports it is "unclear whether any other athletic footwear company bothered to bid for the Oregon contract," but there was "little doubt" UO would stay with Nike. The company's existing contract "all but gave Nike a lock on retaining the Ducks brand -- provided it wanted it." Nike had until Thursday to "request the opportunity to discuss renewing the deal before Oregon could talk to other companies." Nike also could "match or exceed any outside offer" UO received after Thursday (Portland OREGONIAN, 12/1).
