The Univ. of Tennessee tomorrow "officially will become a Nike school," and at noon ET "will launch" its new apparel partnership with a live stream on UTSports.com, according to Patrick Brown of the CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS. Tennessee will "unveil the new uniforms for each of its teams" on the stream, and it is "expected to be quite the production." UT officials have remained "tight-lipped on what changes may be ahead and how much Nike will change the university's traditional sports look and brand." Images of a new font -- a "sleeker look with the tops of the letters of 'Tennessee' shaped like the state's outline -- have popped up on the court of Pratt Pavilion, the practice facility for the basketball programs, and some signage for a couple of football camps the Vols hosted earlier this month." Nike has been "guilty of creating some outlandish uniforms, particularly in football, in recent years, but Tennessee's brand and tradition are strong enough that many expect Nike to keep the look fairly clean." UT's deal with Nike is "not as lucrative as its most recent agreement" with adidas, which paid the university $1.95M annually and $1.8M in equipment and apparel. According to the eight-year deal with Nike, which runs through June '23, UT will receive $1M "annually from Nike for the first four years of the agreement and $900,000 annually on the back half of the contract." Nike also paid Tennessee a "one-time commitment bonus" of $2M last year. Because of its need to "replace all of its uniforms this season, Tennessee has an allotment" of $3.4M it can spend on Nike equipment and apparel in the first year of the agreement. The number drops to $2.6M next year before "increasing by $100,000 each year." In the "final year of the deal," the allowance is $3.2M (CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS, 6/29).
LADIES FIRST: In Knoxville, Dopirak & Frederickson wrote the cementing of UT’s "most controversial decision in recent memory will occur in tandem with the switch to Nike." Starting tomorrow, the women’s basketball team "will be the only team known as the Lady Vols," as all other women’s teams "will move under the Volunteers umbrella." Experts "agree that Tennessee’s general justification for restricting the Lady Vols nickname to the women’s basketball program is a logical one." Brand consistency "matters," and it is "difficult to put a dollar figure on exactly how much it matters, but trying to sell two brands can weaken both." However, UT’s situation "is unique." Most college athletic departments "did away with the 'Lady' designation for all teams within the last 15 years in order to promote gender equality." Female athletes at Tennessee, however, "viewed their situation much differently." The Lady Vols "became their own powerful brand because of their dominance of women’s basketball during former coach Pat Summitt’s tenure" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 6/28).
