The University of Texas’ apparel contract appears to be open for bidding, which means the richest program in college athletics may soon become even richer.
According to Bloomberg Business, Nike won’t renew its apparel contract with Texas prior to the company’s exclusive negotiating window, which ends tomorrow.
That opens the window for other athletic apparel companies like Adidas and Under Armour to submit bids and attempt to drive Nike out of Austin, and put their own stamp on every Longhorn athletic uniform.
Athletic apparel contracts are big business. Earlier this year, Nike and the University of Michigan agreed on an 11-year, $169 million contract that ousted Adidas, making it the largest apparel deal in the history of college sports.
Negotiations at Texas come at a tumultuous time, as earlier this month the University parted ways with athletic director Steve Patterson.