A couple of months ago, there was word going around that Nike was “recruiting” Michigan in order to bring one of the premier athletic programs in the United States back into their fold.
Now, it appears that the recruitment was a success. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Michigan has signed a long-term deal with Nike so that Nike will be their uniform and apparel supplier.
From the moment U-M signed a sponsorship agreement with Adidas in 2007, there has been a behind-the-scenes clamor for a return to the swoosh. Today, Michigan announced that it has signed an agreement with Nike, re-establishing the connection that shook the industry with a seven-year, $5.7-million deal in 1994.
The new agreement, which will begin after U-M’s Adidas contract ends July 31, 2016, will make that figure seem quaint.
The agreement runs into 2027, with an option to extend it to 2031.
As you can see in the snippet above, there have been rumblings within Michigan’s athletic program about returning back to the loving arms of Nike for years now. If that’s not buyer’s remorse, then I don’t know what is. In fact, this tweet from Michigan’s official twitter account seems to sum up the school’s feeling about getting back with Nike:
Seems like the Wolverines can’t wait until 2016. What do you guys think? Smart move for Michigan?
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