AFL Players to Don Nike Apparel in $5 Million Deal
Arena Football League teams will soon be wearing Nike uniforms and other apparel via a deal reportedly worth $5 million.
The three-year agreement, scheduled to begin next year, includes licensing and the option to buy time on NBC’s AFL telecasts, however Nike is not required to buy media time under its terms. This deal is an extension of an earlier three-year pact, under which the company attained exclusive rights to supply AFL footwear, gloves and other gear.
Seventeen of the 19 teams will sport Nike’s signature swoosh; the Dallas and Philadelphia franchises will not participate. Fans will have to wait to get their hands on these new togs: the Nike gear will not be on sale until the 2005 season and will include replica and authentic jerseys, T-shirts, caps and polo shirts.
Among other AFL promotional deals, the league signed its first trading card licensee this year. Upper Deck has entered a five-year partnership with the league and will produce and sell AFL collectibles and memorabilia with a full set of cards to debut next year. ADT Security Services, Inc. and the AFL joined forces earlier this year for a $16 million three-year deal that includes media and a uniform patch. The league is also expected to team up with Electronic Arts, Inc. to produce AFL video games in the near future.
