Should K-State stay with Nike or try something new? The Wildcats have apparel options
Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor has an important decision to make about the apparel logo that will be prominently featured on all of the Wildcats’ uniforms in 2024 and beyond.
Should the Wildcats stay with Nike, the shoe company that has been outfitting EMAW nation for the past few decades? Or should the Wildcats switch to a new apparel partner, such as Adidas or Under Armour?
An answer is expected in the next few weeks.
The athletic department’s contract with Nike is up following the 2023 season. Rather than simply re-sign with Nike, the Wildcats decided to invite bids from potential new partners. That created interest from both Nike and one other apparel provider, according to Taylor. After listening to both suitors, K-State must now choose which way to proceed.
“We’re getting close,” Taylor said during an interview with The Eagle. “We have to make a decision here very soon, because the order windows for both apparel companies that we are dealing with for 2024 are coming open in the next couple of weeks. We have got all of the information. We just have to make a final call. It will probably be sooner rather than later.”
Though Taylor wouldn’t comment on which other apparel provider has shown interest in the Wildcats, several sources have said it is Under Armour.
K-State’s current deal with Nike calls for the company to provide the Wildcats with nearly $2 million worth of apparel each athletic year. That comes in the form of everything from uniforms to shoes to hats and the quarter-zip pullovers that Jerome Tang wears at basketball games.
Under Armour almost certainly has offered more product and/or money to enter the conversation.
Taylor said it has been good for K-State to hear from multiple companies.
“We weren’t sure what to expect,” Taylor said. “Obviously, Nike is a pretty big brand. We didn’t know where the market was. The market has been interesting. That is why we went out and tested it. There has been some interest and that is a good thing.”
The reasons for staying with Nike seem obvious. It is a worldwide brand that is extremely popular with recruits and college athletes. It has also been a good partner to K-State for many years.
But things could always improve with a new apparel deal.
K-State has been searching for creative ways to boost its athletic budget. Taylor is currently working to sell the naming rights to Bramlage Coliseum. Perhaps a deal with Under Armour could also bring in new waves of money. A change might not be well received by fans, though, as many think Nike is a hipper name that gives K-State a boost with recruits.
Nike is a big player in the college apparel space.
Under Armour currently sponsors 18 FBS football teams, including Auburn, Maryland, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Texas Tech and Utah.
No matter what K-State ultimately decides on, Taylor promises every possible angle will be considered.
“There is a lot that goes into it,” Taylor said. “I don’t think it comes down to any one thing. We have to look at the big picture. We will consider it all. At the end of the day, we will come to a conclusion and make the call and move on. It’s been an interesting process and great to go through. Both companies have been great.”
