Georgia Tech, Adidas to continue partnership

Georgia Tech athletics and Adidas have agreed to terms on a new two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday.

Tech’s previous deal with the shoe and apparel company was to expire this summer. Tech and Adidas are working on signing a new agreement that will run until 2026.

Signed in 2018 during former Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury’s tenure, Tech’s previous deal with Adidas stipulated Tech receive $3.11 million annually in cash and product from Adidas. Financial details of the new contract between Adidas and Tech are not yet known.

There was language in the 2018 contract that called for an increased retainer fee should Tech football win a national title, an ACC title or play in the ACC title game in consecutive years, should the men’s basketball program win the national championship, the ACC championship or make the league title game two years in a row or if the football team has consecutive seasons of winning nine games or more. The Yellow Jackets reached only one of those marks: the 2021 men’s hoops conference title.

Tech re-upping with Adidas for the short term could be seen as a calculated move that is in part because of the volatile, rapidly changing landscape of college athletics coupled with the expectations that the Jackets’ results on the courts and fields will improve, thus making them an even more attractive brand in years to come.

Tech football had suffered through four consecutive losing seasons before Brent Key took the Jackets back to a bowl game in December. Tech hoops made the NCAA Tournament in 2021 but hasn’t returned since – and that’s been their only March Madness appearance since 2010. With a highly touted recruiting class coming in, the expectation for coach Damon Stoudamire’s program is to return to the national postseason in 2025.

Tech baseball is positioned to make another NCAA regional this spring and the women’s basketball program, only two years removed from its last tourney berth, also has a top-notch recruiting class arriving this fall ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Should the Jackets start to get the ball rolling as far as notable results and national recognition is concerned, that could only help make Tech’s teams that much more appealing for apparel suitors. The seemingly endless shifts occurring in the NCAA’s competitive model and ongoing conference affiliation and realignment could factor in as well, along with the new age of name, image and likeness that allows apparel companies to dole out money to athletes individually.

Tech is one of five universities (Boston College for football only, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina State) in the ACC signed with Adidas and one of 14 among schools in the four major conferences signed with the brand.

Last month, Auburn announced it signed a deal with Nike, switching from Under Armour, for 10 years. In February, Kansas State announced it renewed its current deal with Nike until 2027. Notre Dame, in August, signed a 10-year deal with Under Armour that affords the school $10 million annually. Cincinnati and Nike also agreed in December to a four-year deal running from 2025-29.

In April, Indiana reportedly was working a 10-year extension with its current deal with Adidas.

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