UC officially switches from adidas to Under Armour

The University of Cincinnati announced Thursday that its athletic teams will switch outfitters from adidas to Under Armour, effective July 1.

The Enquirer reported the move in January, and UC made it official Thursday with a press release.

The long-term partnership terms were not disclosed but UC sources said the deal will be much larger than UC's current contract with adidas, in which the Bearcats annually receive a base of $1.05 million in equipment and apparel allowance for their sports teams - plus $525,000 in cash. ESPN business reporter Darren Rovell previously reported that UC will be getting as much as $5 million per year with Under Armour. The UC adidas contract runs through June.

"No. 1, it's a company that believes in us," UC football coach Tommy Tuberville said Thursday, following UC's latest spring practice session. "I think it's going to help us not just out here on the field with the gear that we wear but also with recruiting. A lot of these kids in school now wear Under Armour. They're a company that most of these kids, they're kind of the first generation of Under Armour. They grew up with it."



As part of the multi-year agreement, Under Armour will exclusively design and supply the footwear, apparel and equipment for training and gameday uniforms for each of UC's 19 men's and women's varsity athletic teams beginning in the 2015-16 season.

"We are honored to partner with one of the most innovative and respected companies in the world," UC athletic director Mike Bohn said in a statement. "Kevin Plank and his team represent an unequivocal commitment to student-athletes and their energy and vision is incomparable. Under Armour provides a tremendous boost to the entire institution for what we call the #HottestCollegeInAmerica."

"The University of Cincinnati is a standout addition to the Under Armour roster of NCAA partners, with a sustained legacy of post-season success in both football and basketball, in addition to multiple Olympic sports," Adam Peake, Executive Vice President, Global Brand Marketing, Under Armour, said in a statement. "We are excited to offer the most innovative performance gear for the student-athletes, coaching and training staff, and the entire Bearcats fan base for years to come."

In addition to outfitting the Bearcats, the brand plans to integrate UC into its wide-ranging storytelling efforts, including global marketing campaigns, social media initiatives, in-store promotions and grassroots activations.

Tuberville said the move is a "huge advance" financially.

"Our past relationship with adidas was good, but Under Armour came in and said, 'We want you. You're going to be ours no matter what,' " Tuberville said. "I've spent 14 of the 19 years I've been a head coach with Under Armour. From the very beginning when it started, I know all the people behind the scenes, the struggles they had with their shoes and all those things in the beginning. They've done a good job of keeping up with the Joneses, so to speak.

"I'm very impressed with a lot of the things that we'll use out here came from them working with Special Ops in the military. They gear all the Special Ops in our military, SEALs and Rangers and all those guys. A lot of the safety features that they came up with for those guys will be used out here in football."

Cincinnati is Under Armour's 15th Division 1 all-school partnership.