College sports are extremely popular with large, dedicated fan bases, so it's no surprise that they can generate big bucks in sales revenue. According to ESPN, the market for collegiate-licensed apparel is estimated at $4.6 billion annually. But what does signing a deal with a major sportswear company like Nike yield for universities? The Southwestern Athletic Conference, a small collegiate athletic conference comprised of historically black universities in the Southern United States, laid out what its five-year deal with Nike entails.
According to AL.com, the conference generated $6.1 million in revenue in 2013 and has an extensive lists of athletic supplies and cash courtesy of Nike. Annually included in the deal are 600 pairs of Nike, two Nike internships for collegiate athletes, and $10,000 for Conference Commissioner Duer Sharp.
What does Sharp use the money for on an already adequately compensated conference? "That's my personal business what I do with it," said Sharp, who made $240,000 in 2013 according to the SWAC tax records.
To see the full list of accommodations and supplies provided by Nike, check out the full list here. Now, just imagine what conferences with bigger accounts like the University of Texas or Michigan State University can get out of Nike.
