KU brass at this point in time does not see any potential hangups to the school's Adidas dealGetty Images
The ongoing FBI investigation into college basketball "has not impacted the Kansas athletic department's ongoing plans" to complete a 12-year, $191M contract with Adidas, according to Jesse Newell of the K.C. STAR. KU Associate AD/Public Affairs Jim Marchiony said that the deal -- first announced in September '17 -- "was not signed by both parties." Marchiony said that the contract "being finalized was the same one originally spoken about." Marchiony said that he "didn't believe" there would be any potential hangups with the deal (K.C. STAR, 4/12). In Kansas, Tom Keegan reports "no evidence exists that anybody from KU athletics was connected to payments allegedly made from Adidas to guardians of two members of this past season's Final Four basketball team." But Adidas is a "partner to Kansas." Should KU "be grateful to Adidas for allegedly delivering a player without whom the Jayhawks probably would not have made it to the Final Four, or should Kansas be furious at a shoe-company executive for dragging ts name into a dirty play-for-pay scheme?" If the answer is the latter, should KU athletics "be looking to run as fast as it can in the other direction" from Adidas? (LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD, 4/12). A K.C. STAR editorial states that KU should "cut bait" with Adidas. Otherwise, the "nonprofit that operates under the auspices" of KU's athletic department "runs the risk of appearing complicit in a pay-for-play scheme." Mega deals with sporting apparel companies like Adidas "can provide an important revenue stream for athletic departments, but at what cost to the overall image of the university" (K.C. STAR, 4/12).
MONEY MOVES: In Seattle, Adam Jude writes Washington's new 10-year apparel deal with Adidas also ends UW football coach Chris Petersen's "longstanding relationship with Nike." Petersen said, "I appreciate what they've done for me in the past. I've got a lot of good friends there, so I really respect Nike. ... That being said, I think we're really excited about Adidas." Petersen: "This is bigger than any one program. This is about the school, and this is about the whole athletic department. ... At the end of the day I don't think it was that hard for [UW AD Jennifer Cohen] because this was significantly different." Petersen did not "want to get into specifics" about future uniform designs with Adidas. He praised Cohen for her "decision to make the switch to Adidas." Petersen: "She's money. ... Everything she does seems to be heading ... in the right direction" (SEATTLE TIMES, 4/12).
