Penn State will no longer be a Nike campus as the Nittany Lions have aligned with German athletic apparel giant adidas.
Since 1993, Penn State has been one of Nike’s signature brands. When Penn State finally donned the Nike “swoosh,” legendary ABC Sports broadcaster Keith Jackson quipped, “It was like seeing a mustache on the Mona Lisa.”
Over the years, Penn State athletes have been part of Nike’s iconic marketing cannon and featured on so many successful campaigns.
As major athletic programs across the country confront the major reality of revenue sharing with its athletes and creating NIL opportunities to be an attractive brand, Penn State wasn’t immune to this search.
“Penn State Athletics has been blessed with incredible partners throughout our history, but today, we step into a bold new era,” said Dr. Patrick Kraft, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at Penn State University.
“From the field to the court, the mat to the pitch, this partnership goes far beyond uniforms, it is unlike anything else in the marketplace. adidas is making an unprecedented commitment to Penn State: delivering record investment in our department, groundbreaking NIL and marketing opportunities, and access to technology and innovation that no other program can match. This agreement sets a new industry standard, fueling championship performances, empowering our student-athletes to grow their personal brands, and creating unmatched platforms for them to shine on the national and global stage. Together, we’re building something that will transform what’s possible for Penn State Athletics and for every student-athlete who wears the Blue & White.”
Penn State will become an adidas school officially on July 1, 2026, it is a second such partnership with adidas Kraft has completed as he aligned Boston College with the apparel giant in 2021.
“adidas is committed to partnering with universities like Penn State that possess rich tradition and championship potential in equal measure. We see this new agreement as a unique opportunity for us to help shape the next chapter of Penn State Athletics while staying true to everything that makes the Nittany Lions an iconic brand,” said John Miller, adidas President, North America.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.In 2024, adidas generated €23.7 billion ($28.8 billion) in global sales.
Penn State is the second major university in recent years to jump to adidas.
“They have an entire division focused on NIL. They have student-athletes from all over the country, some of which compete for our teams right now, who are signed up with their NIL program. So there are a lot of reasons why we feel like they’re the best partner for us as we march into the modern era of college sports,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White told Volquest of adidas’ NIL efforts.
Tennessee made the jump to adidas back in August, and like Penn State will join them in 2026.
