Originally, the announcement of the new Michigan apparel deal with Adidas rubbed me the wrong way. The tradition of Michigan being one of the original Nike schools, and the affinity I gained for Nike by virtue of their officially licensed UM gear really made me wish that Michigan would have stayed with the swoosh.
However, upon further reflection, I realized that these reasons weren’t good enough. If anything, they are actually criticisms of the athletic department by many Michigan fans: doing things the way they’ve always been done because that’s the way they’ve always been done, or because tradition mandates it. So in the end, while I’m sad to see something that has become somewhat of a tradition (being one of the original Nike schools) come to an end, it’s time.
There are also definite advantages of switching from Nike to Adidas as well. As mentioned by Brian, Nike has lately seen itself as the spectacle on display in sporting events, rather than just clothes worn during said events. The ugly Nike jerseys are no longer a threat to the aesthetics of the Michigan football team (for the record, I do not hate the piping on the away jerseys, though I’m apparently the only one). The Adidas deal also allows for slight redesigns to uniforms that may not have been possible staying with the same outfitter, allowing the Michigan look to maintain tradition without getting stale. And finally, the money factor. Michigan is making much more money out of the Adidas deal than they ever did from Nike, and the new contract has a clause guaranteeing Michigan preferred treatment from the clothier.
In the end, it’s sad to see one tradition end, but it opens the door for a new (and quote possibly better) one to begin.
Posted under Misc.
Tags: Football, still not football, uniforms