Rutgers is "closing in on a deal" with adidas that will make the brand the "official supplier of apparel, footwear and other accessories of the Scarlet Knights," according to sources cited by Keith Sargeant of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. A six-year deal believed to be worth just north of $10M in apparel and cash value is "expected to be formally announced later this week." As a result of the adidas deal, Rutgers' athletics teams -- including football -- "will be donning new uniforms for the second straight season." The adidas deal will "follow a five-year pact with Nike that runs through June 30, 2017." Rutgers' deal with Nike was worth a total of $5.2M in "apparel compensation and a base payment of $130,000 annually." A source said that Nike had the "right of first refusal," but they "declined that option." Sources said that Nike's offer to Rutgers was to keep its annual compensation at $1.1M (NJ.com, 2/6). In New Jersey, Jerry Carino writes it "is telling" for Nike to "let a Big Ten football program in the much-touted New York metropolitan area just walk away." Obviously Rutgers’ merchandise "didn’t move on par with its Power Five brethren, but Nike also must not think much of the Scarlet Knights’ potential for growth." This is a "name recognition business, and over the past four years Rutgers’ name in the college sports world has been more synonymous with embarrassing headlines than with than success." Though that perception "seems to be changing," it was "apparently too late for Nike" (APP.com, 2/6).
