Thirteen years after Nike signed an unprecedented sponsorship contract with the University of Michigan, adidas is working to catch up. It's signing contracts with colleges formerly in the Nike fold,
such as Michigan and Texas A&M. But Nike still controls almost half of the market for athletic shoes, jerseys, and clothing, says Tom Doyle, vice president for research and information for the
National Sporting Goods Association.
As more consumer money flows to athletic apparel, major companies work to construct deals that will gain them support from college loyalists. They
hope the scarlet and gray, or maize and blue, will automatically sell merchandise. Consumers buy because of loyalty, not victories.
"You don't want the school with the most wins, you
want the school with the most fans," says Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.
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