Zenger announces $191 million Adidas deal, top five in the nation
The University of Kansas is getting ready to rake in a lot more cash and apparel from Adidas.
On Friday KU athletics director Sheahon Zenger announced he has signed a new deal with Adidas that will provide the school $191 million in sponsorship and apparel over the next 14 years.
“(It’s) a comprehensive, institutional approach unlike any apparel agreement in the country,” Zenger said. “It will not only help us achieve our goals of renovating Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse, but it will also reflect Adidas and Kansas Athletics’ commitment to academics and community involvement.”
The deal will pay the Jayhawks $13.6 million a year and would be the second largest Adidas contract among all colleges.
In the last year the numbers for apparel contracts and dollars has been on the rise. UCLA recently agreed to a $280 million deal with Under Armour. Texas and Ohio State were behind that in the $250 million range.
Louisville recently signed with Adidas for $160 million, which was the largest Adidas contract at the time. That deal is over 10 years.
Kansas would surpass that one in total dollars at $191 million and would be the largest-known in total dollars Adidas has partnered with anyone at the college level. Nebraska recently signed with Adidas for a total of $128.7 million.
The exact details won’t be released this soon. Nebraska president Harry Bounds recently said he doesn’t know of an Adidas contract that is any better than what they signed. Well, Kansas just changed that game surpassing the Cornhuskers numbers on paper.
Adidas has stated in the past they won’t comment on specific partnerships they have in place.
The Jayhawks were under an agreement with Adidas until 2019. But the new deal in place will take over now replacing the final two years and add 12 more to the total.
“I can’t say much until the long form is done,” Zenger said when addressing the final details.
Although Zenger wouldn’t get into more specifics about the fine print, what we do know is the new deal push the Jayhawks among the nation’s top five in overall apparel contracts.