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April 15, 2009

Returning to Nike

Filed under: Athletic Department,Marketing,Money — Chas @ 10:15 am

Lots of chatter about it. More than a couple people e-mailed me to say it was happening. The one thing that hasn’t occurred — no press releases or actual press conference unveiling the change in apparel and shoe deals from Adidas to Nike. So, I don’t know anymore than the rest of you.

I have to admit that I don’t have any strong feelings one way or the other about this. When Pitt switched to Adidas from Nike for all gear (at the time Adidas was already the basketball supplier and other sports and Nike was only the football supplier), that there was some acrimony as Pitt had to file suit to get out of the deal.

The deal with Adidas was more lucrative, and Adidas was the company that produced the very pleasant throwback gear. (Hmm. Might have to buy some more, just in case Nike doesn’t continue that line.) Plus, it meant avoiding the dreaded “System of Fit.”

Of course, money talks, and this time it seems Nike has decided that it is willing to pay to get Coach Jamie Dixon (no offense to Coach Dave Wannstedt, but for sneakers the B-ball coach has the value) and Pitt’s apparel. I’m a little surprised that Adidas let Pitt go, considering their investment and actually marketing the team a bit this past March.

Honestly, I’m not sure what difference it makes for the fans. It may be gear in styles we like more. I really don’t see it getting more market penetration. That sort of thing is dependant on the success of the football and basketball programs, than Nike or Adidas. Both have a strong interest in making sure they make money off the deal, so I did not see Adidas as holding Pitt sales back in that regard.





Pitt hs jamfest this weekend. Possibility of a Tom Droney-Isiah Epps matchup.

Comment by alcofan 04.15.09 @ 12:52 pm

I do not like Nike’s football uniforms. If you notice, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Florida, and countless other Nike schools all have the same fonts on the back of their jerseys. This really takes the uniqueness and individuality out of a school’s uniform. Adidas schools tend to have more unique uniforms like Pitt’s that has its own unique font on the back end. (All of this means nothing to most people but I’m a jersey nerd/collector and I own several authentic and game worn Pitt football jerseys)

Comment by AJ 04.15.09 @ 9:46 pm

Please, please, please just bring back the blue and gold school colors and the “throwback” script “Pitt” and stop all this fooling around. When are the marketing gurus going to realize that winning and longevity are the keys to selling athletic jerseys. Is there anyone who desn’t recognize a Michigan/Delaware helmet, or an Ole Miss or Penn State jersey? At least, so far we haven’t added black as a school color like Duke and Temple and numerous other schools.

Comment by Rich 04.16.09 @ 2:49 pm

Just got an email from Pitt stating they are giving season ticket holders 20% off of merchandise at their pitt store. I dont ever remember Pitt having a sale , so my guess is they are trying to clear out the current stock before they announce a change. I hope so. I think Nike gives them more visibility and exposure. Every catalog I open I always see Nike merchandise and very little adidas. Doesnt seem like a big deal, but every little bit helps in recruiting. Amazing what kids look for when choosing a college.

Comment by Z-boy 04.18.09 @ 2:08 pm

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