So long Nike and the iconic swoosh. Welcome back Adidas and the three stripes.
In a move made to help boost the bottom line and enhance NIL opportunities in the new revenue sharing era of college athletics, the University of Tennessee and Adidas announced a “one-of-a-kind partnership” for Adidas to become the official footwear, uniform, apparel and sideline partner of UT Athletics. The 10-year deal begins July 1, 2026.
The financial details of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported it could be worth at least $10 million per year.
Adidas and UT were partners from 1995-2014 before UT switched to Nike. UT’s deal with Nike was set to expire following this academic year, and the two sides began negotiations in late 2024. But the exclusive negotiating window ended March 30, 2025, without an agreement.
After meeting with other major brands, UT received the substantial offer from Adidas and Nike turned down the chance to match.
Per UT’s contract with Nike, UT is scheduled to receive $1.2 million in base compensation from Nike in 2025-26, with an annual product allotment of $4.5 million. UT gets an annual Nike ELITE credit of $100,000 for the athletics department and an additional $100,000 for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and administration.
“This partnership provides us with a significant advantage in the ever-evolving landscape of college sports,” UT vice chancellor and director of athletics Danny White says. “We take pride in our fan base and the competitive edge they offer us. We refuse to partner with someone who does not feel the same way.”
The NIL X factor
UT and Adidas say the new deal will offer “unprecedented NIL opportunities” for UT athletes across all 20 sports. The two sides say Adidas is already working to land NIL deals with UT athletes during the 2025-26 school year. Once the partnership begins, every UT athlete will be eligible to participate in Adidas’ NIL Ambassador Network, which gives all athletes at Adidas-partnered Division I schools the chance to benefit from their name, image and likeness.
The potential NIL deals would give UT athletes a chance to earn money outside of the $20.6 million in revenue sharing colleges are allowed to pay directly to athletes under the NCAA’s newly-instituted cap.
“The role of a college athletics sideline partner has changed dramatically in the 11 years since we last partnered with Tennessee Athletics,” says Chris McGuire, Adidas vice president of sports marketing, North America. “Adidas is establishing a new standard for investment in NIL with this partnership that will sustain UT’s powerful athletics program as the university continues competing for championships for years to come.”
Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel, who has worn Nike at every stop in his Division I playing and coaching career, welcomed the move to Adidas.
“We’re fortunate, (we) had a partner that wanted to make us their flagship school,” he says. “That’s going to happen in a lot of different ways and going to be a benefit to our football program. But this athletic department as a whole too. I had an opportunity to come talk to some other guys and I think everybody’s really excited that, again, we’re going to be the flagship school for them and it’s going to provide a lot of unique opportunities for our players both on and off the field.”
Tennessee’s brand and fervent following was attractive to Adidas. UT finished ranked sixth in the recent Learfield Directors’ Cup. It was the third straight year UT has finished in the top 10, which is a first for the university. For the last two years, all 20 of UT’s varsity sports teams reached the postseason, the only school in the country to achieve that milestone.
“Our mission is to build the premier athletics department in the country and to lead the way in college sports. Partnering with Adidas is an ideal fit, as their mission is to be the best sports brand in the world,” White says. “There is no denying the resurgence of Tennessee Athletics, powered by the greatest fan base in all of sports. Our strong licensing numbers, impressive television ratings and sold-out venues all reflect this.
“Adidas recognized our potential and responded with one of the best apparel deals in the history of college sports, prioritizing Vol Nation and the Tennessee brand.”
Uniform standards
The Tennessee Creative team will remain the “primary driver” of uniform design throughout the partnership, UT states. Adidas will collaborate with Tennessee Creative to lend the brand’s design expertise and innovative products to “elevate the signature look of the Tennessee Volunteers.”
“From Day One of these conversations, Adidas has assured us that the existing design ethos of Tennessee Athletics is critically important to their ambitions for our brand,” says UT deputy athletics director/chief marketing officer Alicia Longworth. “We see immense potential in leveraging Adidas’ legacy in culture and sport to further enhance the work of collegiate athletics’ most talented creative team.”
During the first partnership with Adidas, UT football secured its most recent national championship (1998) and the women’s basketball team captured back-to-back national titles (2007-08) led by Lady Vols legend Candace Parker, who is now Adidas’ president of women’s basketball.
“From my days rocking the orange and white to now leading on and off the court, Adidas has always had my back with the best gear and support,” Parker says. “Seeing Adidas link back up with Tennessee feels like coming full circle. I know this partnership is going to open a ton of doors for the next generation of Vols, and I couldn’t be more hype about it.”