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UC Berkeley has signed an apparel deal with Under Armour worth $85 million over 10 years. The deal marks a huge jump for UC Berkeley whose final year with Nike will net the school $2 million in apparel and $150,000 in cash, according to ESPN.
An interesting thing about the article is that Under Armour stops short of referring to Berkeley as their "West Coast flagship" which is relevant because of the on-going negotiations with the Morgan Center.
In fact, the article discusses how Under Armour has gone after schools that excel in both athletics and academics.
Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank said the company is placing greater emphasis on schools that experience success both on the field and in the classroom, as the company has sought to make a smarter product for college athletes to use. In January, Under Armour signed on to outfit Yale, and the brand has been worn by athletes at Northwestern since 2013.
"That we've aligned ourselves with these types of schools is no accident," Plank said.
That certainly places UCLA in UA's cross-hairs.
This morning, Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News, while tweeting about the Cal deal, mention what UCLA might get from its ongoing negotiations.
When #UCLA signs new apparel/footwear deal, will be massive. $12M+ per year, per industry sources
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) April 22, 2016
$12M per year would be about a 50% increase from what UCLA currently receives from adidas and would keep them near the top of all universities nationwide.
Ohio State's most recent extension with Nike is for 15 years and $252M while Texas signed a 15 year, $200M extension. The deal Michigan signed with Nike just last year was for $169M over 15 years including the option years. So, while Nike has a history of offering less money, the three biggest apparel contracts in the last year have all come from the Swoosh.
Go Bruins!!!