SportsBusiness Daily — Sports Business Resources — your sports business news and information source. Learn More
Advanced
Home About Us Advertise With Us Marketplace/Classifieds College & University Program Subscribe/Trial My Account

Thursday
June 26, 2008
Print This Issue


 
MOST VIEWED STORIES
View the top 20 stories
 
Recent Issues
Sponsorships, Advertising & Marketing

Univ. of Memphis Looks To Land All-Sports Athletic Apparel Deal

Calipari Willing To Give Up Deal With adidas
If Athletic Department Lands Apparel Contract
Univ. of Memphis (UM) AD R.C. Johnson yesterday said that the school is "sending requests for proposals this week to companies including adidas/Taylormade, Nike and Under Armour in the hope of achieving uniformity in its athletic apparel," according to Jim Masilak of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. UM men's basketball coach John Calipari has had an eight-year relationship with adidas since coming to UM for the '00-01 season, as the company outfits the program, and Calipari earns about $225,000 annually in a personal deal with adidas. However, he said that he is "willing to give [it] up if Memphis is successful in landing its first all-sports apparel deal."  Calipari: "For them to have the opportunity to go out there and do this, it would be big. What non-BCS team has an all-sports deal? None. To have something this significant for the university and athletic department, I'm all for it." Johnson said that "if all goes well ... a deal to outfit the school's varsity teams under one brand name could be in place by the end of July." Masilak notes Calipari's four-year deal with adidas is set to expire before next season, and Johnson "stressed that Calipari would 'be taken care of' in any new apparel deal." Johnson said that an all-inclusive deal "would take effect 'as soon as possible' even though some fall sports programs already have made orders for the upcoming season." Johnson though is also "willing to stick with individual deals if an acceptable bid is not forthcoming" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 6/26).


Get A Free Trial To SportsBusiness Daily

Reader Comments

To post comments on this article, log in or register for a free trial.

Related Stories By Company Related Stories By Sport
Russell Athletic Pressured On Labor
November 18, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Jordan Brand Continues To Dominate Market
November 17, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Arkansas, Nike Agree To Five-Year Deal
November 11, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Nike Outfits 10 FBS Teams With New Unis
November 10, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

UCF-Adidas Spat May Head To Court
November 6, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

San Diego State AD Jeff Schemmel Resigns
November 20, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Report: Minorities Not Getting Coaching Jobs
November 19, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Penn State Alters Football Season Tix Plan
November 18, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Russell Athletic Pressured On Labor
November 18, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

St. Peter's, Monmouth Benefit From ESPN
November 18, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

ALSO IN THIS SECTION


A Publication of Street & Smith's Sports Group.
Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (REVISED 2009-06-23) and Privacy Policy (REVISED 2009-06-23).

© 2009 Street & Smith's Sports Group and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Street & Smith's Sports Group.