Under Armour has trumped Nike once again. And it did it in record-breaking fashion.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the sportswear giant and UCLA have just finalized a shoe and apparel agreement worth $280 million—making it the largest in NCAA history. Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, the biggest deal was held by Nike, which had a 15-year, $252 million contract with Ohio State, followed by another $250 million contract with Texas.
The news comes just one month after UC Berkeley announced it was ending its relationship with Nike in favor of a 10-year deal with Under Armour, proving the brand is stopping at nothing to secure a strong presence in collegiate sports.
"With 113 NCAA Championships, UCLA is the most decorated athletic program in history, the benchmark for excellence in performance," Under Armour founder Kevin Plank said in a press release. "Under Armour’s commitment to growth through innovation and an unwavering mission to make all athletes better aligns seamlessly with UCLA and the pioneering figures that helped build the program, and we look forward to reaching new heights with the Bruins."
As a part of the deal, Under Armour will design and provide the shoes, apparel, and equipment for the men's and women's varsity uniforms; however, there's no word on what the changes will look like. So we'll have to keep our eyes peeled.
The partnership will go in effect July 1, 2017. The Bruins have a current deal with adidas that runs through the upcoming academic year.
