US sportswear provider Under Armour has entered into a long-term footwear and apparel partnership with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in a deal that marks the largest college sports sponsorship agreement of all time.
The 15-year agreement will become effective on July 1, 2017 and run until the summer of 2032. UCLA did not disclose financial terms of the deal but the Los Angeles Times said the partnership would be worth $280m (€251m).
The newspaper added that the agreement will pay UCLA $15m in cash up front, with the school subsequently to receive approximately $11m annually in rights and marketing fees. Under Armour is also said to have committed to supplying an average of $7.4m in clothing, shoes and equipment each school year and contribute an additional $2m over the next eight years for upgrades at facilities such as the Morgan Center and the Acosta Athletic Complex.
Under the agreement, Under Armour will design and provide training and game day footwear, apparel and equipment for each of UCLA’s 25 men’s and women’s sports teams, which are known as the Bruins.
Under Armour will also open new retail outlets in the greater Los Angeles area and provide internships for UCLA students at its global headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.
Under Armour founder and chief executive Kevin Plank said: “Under Armour’s commitment to growth through innovation and an unwavering mission to make all athletes better aligns seamlessly with UCLA and the pioneering figures that helped build the program, and we look forward to reaching new heights with the Bruins.”
UCLA’s athletics department will continue to provide apparel for the UCLA Spirit Squad cheerleader group and the Bruin Marching Band, which is present at all of the university’s major sporting events.
Under Armour holds partnerships with a host of colleges across the US and has so far this year added Coastal Carolina University, Howard University, Yale University and University of California, Berkeley to its sponsorship portfolio.
UCLA is Under Armour’s 35th Division I all-school partnership and third in the Pac-12 Conference, joining the recently announced University of California, Berkeley and the University of Utah. UCLA’s current partnership with Adidas expires next year.