When Adidas lost college apparel contracts with Michigan, Tennessee, Wisconsin and UCLA in the past three years, it set up Nebraska to get a good deal. Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst said NU never talked to any other company.
But 11 years and $128 million? With two look-in periods that could bump up the money? When the previous deal signed in 2013 was five years, $15.53 million?
Nebraska just got three times as much money and Adidas apparel per year at a time when the Big Ten’s full share is about to kick in. How did Eichorst pull that off?
Last fall, he invited King to Lincoln. They had what Eichorst called a “long conversation.”
“I talked at length about my vision, our vision, our mission, our plan, our people,” Eichorst said.
King talked about where Adidas was headed.
“He was a believer,” Eichorst said. “I was a believer. We said, let’s come together and do something very, very special. And this is.”