Head coach Jerry Kill made it very clear to Nike that the University of Minnesota wants a new look that captures the essence of the Gophers’ rich football tradition and history. After coming off a 3-9 season, it looks like Nike did exactly as asked–the Gophers unveiled their brand new Nike Pro-Combat look with a taste of old-school without the flair that other Nike school’s flash. Players showed off the eight different combinations of gold, white and maroon jerseys...
Now that the dust has settled, it is clear that Penn State’s acquisition of New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will prove to be a good move for a scandal-ravaged university. For the first time in nearly half a century there will be no Paterno on the Penn State sidelines. This move is exactly what Penn State needed to do in taking that monumental leap in rebranding itself after a horrific past few months. Though several former players...
The Greek philosopher Epicurus believed in happiness by maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. It appears Nike, the goddess of Victory, tried to temper Oregon’s pain by launching an ad campaign that pays homage to the Ducks’ almost national championship season. Nike ads are abound that read: “Everyone Loses Games. Few Change Them.” On its face, this ad makes absolutely no sense. Oregon did not make any change. If anything, Oregon kept the status quo, as the SEC has now won...
If you’re an Alabama fan, things can’t get much better for you these days. This past football season, fans witnessed Mark Ingram become the first ‘Bama football player to win the esteemed Heisman Trophy and saw ‘Bama win their 13th national championship in football. People in Tuscaloosa haven’t been this excited since Paul “Bear” Bryant and Broadway Joe Namath graced the sidelines together in Denny Stadium. As if the Tide’s recent gridiron success wasn’t enough, ‘Bama and Nike just inked...
Though Nike Inc. has a very minor position in licensing the University of Wisconsin’s logos and trademarks, the school is officially terminating its agreement with the corporate giant because of its questionable employment practices. Specifically, the university is displeased with Nike’s treatment of its workers in Honduras where Wisconsin apparel is fabricated. Chancellor Biddy Martin has made it clear that Nike is not doing enough to help its workers in Honduras who have been displaced after the abrupt closing...
There is still question as to where Tim Tebow lands in NFL lore, but before he even has an NFL team to speak of, sponsors are lining up at the door trying to sign arguably the most popular college football player ever. The first major sponsor to nab Tebow is Nike. Nike’s clientele includes superstars such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Tim Tebow may not belong in the same sentence as those...
Football is war and Nike is continuing to lead the market in producing top quality gear to protect Nike’s players. The newest line is the Nike Pro Combat uniform which will be unveiled on Saturday November 21st by the Florida State Seminoles when they take the field against ACC rival Maryland. The Seminoles have full discretion when they will wear this unique gear, but insiders are already saying the Seminoles’ players love the new body armor and the added...
Corporate America, or should I say Nike, has taken over the University of Pittsburgh athletic department. Yesterday, the Pitt Panthers unveiled their new Nike football uniforms that are akin to Georgia Tech’s. There are three noticeable differences that traditional Pitt fans dislike. First, there is the addition of the Nike swoosh logo on the upper left shoulder. Second, Pitt is not written in its traditional script format; rather, Pitt is in small block letters above the player’s front number. Finally, the blue and mustard yellow color scheme...
