LOS ANGELES: UCLA will be outfitted by Nike beginning next year under a six-year deal announced Tuesday.
The Bruins football and men’s and women’s basketball teams will be outfitted under the Jordan Brand. UCLA will be the first Pac-12 school to wear the Jumpman logo on its uniforms and will join Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma and North Carolina as programs under the Jordan Brand for football and both basketball teams.
The new deal starts next July 1. Until then, UCLA’s 25 programs will be outfitted by Under Armour even though the university is suing the apparel company for breach of contract.
Going into this process, our top priority was to secure the best quality and most innovative products to help our student-athletes and coaches compete for championships, athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement regarding the agreement with Nike. As we build upon our rich history and strive for greater heights, this transformative collaboration is a signal of the future.
Under Armour announced in June that it was ending its contract with UCLA, citing unforeseeable circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic as one of the reasons. The two sides were four years into a 15-year deal worth $280 million, which was the highest in college athletics.
UCLA filed a lawsuit against Under Amour in August in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles for breach of contract, seeking damages in excess of $200 million.
Terms of UCLA’s contract with Nike have not been available since it is pending formal approval.
Many of these young men are enthusiastic fans of Michael Jordan. This is a win-win situation for UCLA, mens basketball coach Mick Cronin said in a statement.
Under Armour paid $10 million per year in rights and marketing fees as well as contributing $2 million total to aid in facility improvements. Under terms of the contract, the company is supposed to supply $6.85 million in athletic apparel, footwear and uniforms.
UCLA was outfitted by Adidas prior to its deal with Under Armour.