Tennessee athletics is officially making the switch back to Adidas as its apparel and equipment partner, the school announced on Wednesday. In addition to the traditional apparel partnership, Adidas will be providing Tennessee athletes with NIL opportunities throughout the deal.
The Volunteers were originally partnered with Adidas from 1995-2014, at which point they made the jump to Nike. Just over a decade later, Tennessee and Adidas are reuniting on a 10-year deal, which will take effect in July 2026.
During its original run with Nike, Tennessee was no stranger to success on the national stage, including championships in football and basketball. While those memories are nice to have, one of the biggest factors in this deal for the Vols was Adidas’ support in the NIL landscape.
“This partnership provides us with a significant advantage in the ever-evolving landscape of college sports,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in a statement. “We take pride in our fan base and the competitive edge they offer us. We refuse to partner with someone who does not feel the same way.”
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In its announcement, Tennessee said that Adidas would provide “unprecedented” NIL opportunities for athletes across all 20 of the school’s varsity sports. In fact, Adidas will immediately start working toward securing NIL deals with Tennessee athletes during the 2025-26 athletic season.
When the deal officially kicks in,…
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