ATLANTA (AP) Looking to boost recruiting and align with a hipper brand, Georgia Tech has teamed up with Adidas, which will serve as the exclusive apparel provider for its athletic programs.
The agreement announced Tuesday comes after Georgia Tech decided to end to its partnership with Russell Athletic when their contract expires in June.
The six-year arrangement with Adidas runs through 2024. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Georgia Tech is now in line with other major universities in a market dominated by Nike, Under Armour and Adidas.
The three-stripe brand will serve as Georgia Tech's exclusive supplier for athletics uniforms, apparel, footwear and accessories in 17 varsity sports programs, as well as provide new marketing and branding opportunities.
It also could be an additional selling point for potential recruits.
''We look forward to collaborating with Adidas to provide our student-athletes and fans with the most cutting-edge athletic gear in the marketplace and to amplify the Georgia Tech athletics brand in Atlanta and beyond,'' Todd Stansbury, the school's athletic director, said in a statement.
Adidas North American President Mark King said the deal was vital to the company's strategy of gaining a stronger foothold in the South. The company is planning a new footwear production facility in Atlanta.
''If you want to be embedded in sport in America, you have to be embedded in sport in the South,'' King said. ''This partnership is collaboration at its core. We're sharing new ideas, we're learning from each other and we're asking why, all with the shared ambition to shape the future of sport.''
Georgia Tech joins an Adidas roster that includes fellow Atlantic Coast Conference schools Miami and N.C. State, as well as Kansas, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Arizona State.
