Under Armour reached a new $100 million ten-year licensing extension with Notre Dame, noted by Yahoo Sports as the most lucrative apparel contract in college athletics.
UA’s ten-year contract with Notre Dame is reported to be worth more than $10 million annually in cash and product. Under Armour beat Nike and Adidas in a bidding war to retain Notre Dame’s apparel rights.
Notre Dame’s current ten-year contract with Under Armour, reportedly valued at about $90 million, was due to expire after next season. UA’s exclusive negotiating window with Notre Dame expired in May.
Speculation was high that Notre Dame would forego renewing the contract with UA given its move to end deals over the past few seasons with several colleges, including UCLA, Cal, Hawai’i, Cincinnati, and Boston College, as it streamlined its cost base.
Before Under Armour became Notre Dame’s apparel partner in 2014, Adidas held the role, reportedly a $90 million deal that then was the largest in college sports.
Photo courtesy AP