How unique is Penn State’s adidas deal? Comparing it to other schools
Comparing brand deals between schools can be a lot like comparing apples to footballs — but it’s pretty evident Penn State’s recently announced contract with adidas is positioned near the top of the industry.
The CDT’s Jon Sauber reported the deal spans 10 years and involves roughly $300 million. That’s head-and-shoulders above most deals, when it comes to total value, but it’s still inherently difficult to compare contracts.
One contract might offer cash while another might offer a cut of sales. Others will include different amounts of merchandise, cash incentives (e.g. title wins), NIL deals and other benefits. That can all fluctuate from one school to the next.
To better compare Penn State’s deal with others, we took a look at other recent and notable deals. That didn’t include contracts such as Auburn’s 10-year deal with Nike or Texas Tech’s 10-year deal with adidas in 2024, because the terms were never disclosed. But it included a plethora of others that help put into perspective what Penn State is getting out of its own agreement.
Take a look, with deals starting with the most recent:
South Carolina Gamecocks (10-year deal)
Deal announced: Aug. 22, 2025
When deal goes into effect: July 1, 2026
New supplier (Previous supplier): Nike (Under Armour)
Nike deals are structured differently than a competitor like adidas. According to The State, the deal for South Carolina will guarantee the following over the course of 10 years: $70 million in product, $5 million in cash, $2.5 million in supplemental product and 15% of net sales on all co-branded South Carolina-Nike gear. (It’s not clear how much money that percentage might amount to.)
As South Carolina Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati noted, ”All these deals, they’re not apples to apples.” In other words, The State acknowledged it couldn’t quite compare the Gamecocks’ Nike deal with Tennessee’s adidas agreement. But it’s clearly a step up over South Carolina’s last deal, which was reported as being worth $26.5 million in cash and $44.5 million in product over 10 years with Under Armour. That averages out to $7.1 million annually.
Tennessee Volunteers (10-year deal)
Deal announced: Aug. 13, 2025
When deal goes into effect: July 1, 2026
New supplier (Previous supplier): adidas (Nike)
Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger estimated the deal to be worth at least $10 million a year in product and cash, and that doesn’t include Name, Image and Likeness nor other benefits. Taken in totality, On3 reporter Chris Low said the deal is approaching $20 million a year.
The terms were not publicly disclosed.
Nike reportedly knew the offer adidas made and did not counter. Adidas launched an NIL Ambassador Network in 2022, one that gives student-athletes opportunities to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors, and adidas’ help with NIL was considered a serious positive for Tennessee.
Kentucky Wildcats (10-year extension)
Deal announced: Summer 2025
When deal went into effect: July 1, 2025
New supplier (Previous supplier): Nike (Nike)
The Lexington Herald-Leader acquired contract terms from an open-records request, something Penn State is shielded from due to its status as a “state-related university,” and the contract showed a nice bump for Kentucky. According to the media outlet, Kentucky’s new deal includes the following: $7 million annually in apparel before increasing to $7.5 million annually in 2030-31; 15% royalty on all Nike-Kentucky products except for shoes, which will be a 5% royalty; winning incentives (e.g. $10,000 for reaching football conference championship; $100,000 for winning national title); and more.
Additionally, Nike will need to pay out a minimum of $4 million total in royalties over the life of the contract. Smaller contract details include offering at least one summer internship per year to a Kentucky student, having a clause that would allow Nike to cut its compensation up to 70% if basketball were barred from TV appearances due to NCAA probation (less if it’s football instead) — and providing Nike with 12 season tickets for football and smaller allocations for other sports.
Again, it’s difficult comparing separate deals. But, comparing this to Kentucky’s former Nike deal, the Wildcats more than tripled what they received in apparel — as they earned $2.125 million last year and are set to receive $7 million this year.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-year deal with 5-year option)
Deal announced: Dec. 17, 2024
When deal went into effect: July 1, 2025
New supplier (Old supplier): Nike (adidas)
Rutgers is reportedly set to make about $30 million in total over the life of the initial five-year Nike contract, a significant increase from the former adidas contract that paid it around $2 million annually. There is also an option for a five-year extension.
An open-records request by the Asbury Park Press found that, over the course of the last contract with adidas, Rutgers actually ended up paying adidas $3.3 million more than it received. (RU made $12.9 million from adidas and paid adidas $16.3 million during the six-year contract, presumably for product.) Per the report, it was considered the second-worst known deal in the Big Ten at the time, behind only Minnesota.
Maryland Terrapins (12-year extension)
Deal announced: June 2024
When deal went into effect: July 1, 2024
New supplier (Previous supplier): Under Armour (Under Armour)
This extension didn’t come as a huge surprise, considering Under Armour founder Kevin Plank is a Maryland alum and has partnered with his alma mater since the mid-2000s. The new contract is valued at $98 million over 12 years, according to public documents, which averages to about $8.17 million annually.
That’s a big jump from Maryland’s previous deal with Under Armour. According to 247 Sports, the past deal was valued at about $3.4 million annually.
No details about cash vs. product, or further breakdowns, has been publicly disclosed. But Maryland also touted a marketing partnership and an NIL Brand Ambassador Program. It did not to field a competitive solicitation process because it was deemed “impractical” and, for example, could’ve led to a complete athletic rebranding across campus and beyond.
Indiana Hoosiers (10-year extension)
Deal announced: April 2024
When deal went into effect: July 2024
New supplier (Previous supplier): adidas (adidas)
The Hoosiers extended their deal with adidas for another decade that, in total value, will surpass $54 million, or an average of $5.4 million per year.
According to the Indianapolis Star, most of that compensation will come in the form of product. More than $49 million is from product allotted by adidas, and $1.25 million will go toward “mutually agreed upon marketing activities.” IU will also receive an undisclosed profit share of the products it sells, in addition to other benefits.
The Star noted that IU’s past deal with adidas sacrificed product for more cash, but the athletic director said IU was “prioritizing what’s really important” this time around. The AD feared taking less product could result in having to buy more anyway, something which led to Rutgers’ past issue of ultimately paying adidas.
Michigan State Spartans (3-year extension)
Deal announced: July 2024
When deal went into effect: July 2024
New supplier (Previous supplier): Nike (Nike)
The short extension definitely seems unique. 247 Sports’ Stephen Brooks reported the three-year extension would offer the Spartans a slight cash bump, from $550,000 annually to about $700,000. (Brooks retrieved that information thanks to the Freedom of Information Act.)
No other details were disclosed, and it wasn’t clear how that compared to the product that Michigan State receives. But, with the contract set to run out in 2027, Sparty could be in line for another contract in the not-so-distant future.
UCLA Bruins (6-year extension with 2-year option)
Deal announced: December 2020
When the deal went into effect: July 1, 2021
New supplier (Previous supplier): Nike (Under Armour)
This came together due to some pretty unique circumstances. Under Armour tried to terminate a 15-year, $280 million deal with UCLA. UCLA sued; Under Armour countersued. And, in the end, Under Armour agreed to pay the school about $67 million.
That’s why UCLA was looking for a replacement, and that’s when Nike stepped in.
According to ESPN, UCLA’s deal with Nike amounted to $46.45 million over six years. Nike will also have the option to extend the deal for $15.4 million over two more years. Other details, such as the amount of product received, is not known — although Sportico reported the Nike deal offers $100,000 incentives for a national title in football and $50,000 for a basketball title.
Ohio State Buckeyes (15-year extension)
Deal announced: 2016
When the deal went into effect: July 2018
New supplier (Previous supplier): Nike (Nike)
Yes, this is an older deal. But it’s difficult to discuss these contracts without mentioning two of the bigger ones on the college level in Ohio State and Michigan.
The Buckeyes’ contract was reportedly worth $252 million in total and runs through 2033. (That averages out to about $16.8 million annually.) According to The Associated Press, the deal included $22.5 million in cash and $5 million in product up-front. OSU officials also said at the time that $2.5 million would be used to establish a scholarship endowment, $10 million would go toward a fund at the university president’s discretion, and another $10 million would go toward an athletics department endowment.
Also, Ohio State was planning to receive at least $500,000 worth of Nike apparel every year, from 2018 and on.
Michigan Wolverines (11-year deal with 4-year option)
Deal announced: 2015
When the deal went into effect: July 2016
New supplier (Previous supplier): Nike (adidas)
When taken in its totality, Michigan’s deal — if extended to 15 years — would be worth $169 million, or roughly $11.25 million annually. According to ESPN, Michigan received a total of $65.5 million in cash over the 11-year contract along with $56.8 million in product; an extension would mean another $46.6 million in cash and product.
At the time, this was one of college football’s most lucrative deals. ESPN noted it did not appear to be larger than Notre Dame’s deal at the time, but it was 2.5 times larger for Nike than any other public school it had reached a deal with.
Nike also reportedly paid Michigan a 15% royalty, which — at the time — was estimated to earn the Wolverines a little more than $18 million over 11 years.
