The athletics company Under Armour has reached a record $280 million apparel deal with the University of California, Los Angeles, according to the company.
The Los Angeles Times reports this is the largest deal in college football history and that it follows other blockbuster agreements struck recently by Nike with Ohio State and the University of Texas.
The Times adds:
"UCLA entered the picture with its Adidas contract set to expire next year.
" 'We knew that we were well-positioned to cut a deal,' said Dan Guerrero, the UCLA athletic director. 'Under Armour came at us hard.'
"The upstart Baltimore company was looking to add a major West Coast program to a stable that includes Notre Dame, Auburn and Wisconsin.
" 'This deal was about geography,' said Kevin Plank, who founded Under Armour in 1996. 'It was important for us to plant our flag in L.A.' "
ESPN has a bit more on previous deals:
"In January, Ohio State said its 15-year deal with Nike was worth $252 million. Texas signed a 15-year deal with Nike worth $250 million in October, and Michigan signed an 11-year deal, with a four-year option, that could be worth up to $173.8 million.
"Of all those schools, UCLA has gone the longest having not won a title in either college football or men's basketball, last winning the men's basketball tournament in 1995. UCLA has, however, won more championships than any other school, thanks in part to its excellence in softball, volleyball and water polo."
Of course, as SB Nation reports, the big question in all of this is what the Bruins uniform will look like when the deal kicks in next summer. If you remember, Maryland's Under Armour uniforms have made news for their looks.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAwMTM1NDgzMDEyMzg2MDcwMzJjODJiYQ004))
