NFL Owners Approve Nike As Official On-Field Apparel
Their Back
The NFL owners have approved a five-year deal that would see Nike acquire uniform and sideline apparel rights for the league’s 32 teams, while New Era, the longtime MLB on-field rights holder would, for the first time, gets NFL sideline rights for caps.
The new deal with Nike would take effect in 2012, marking their full return to the field since 2001. Nike only has since been visible in games through footwear and glove rights. Under Armour retained its rights to the NFL scouting combine, along with limited apparel rights. No word on the amount Nike paid to be the exclusive on field apparel for the NFL but back in 2001 Reebok/adidas became the official equipment supplier for $25 million a year.
The most interesting part of it all is the deal with New Era, which has grown largely because of its longtime relationship with MLB and has held it’s exclusive on-field cap rights since 1994. Now New Era is moving aggressively for growth with a pricey NFL license.
“It’s a bold statement by New Era,” said one licensing industry veteran. “They are trying to show the industry they are more than just a baseball company.”
