Oregon State Beaver athletes have been outfitted with Nike gear for many years. It’s been an interesting relationship between the world’s best sports apparel brand, who also finances much of the University of Oregon’s athletics, and the state college up I-5 way. Each school receives uniforms that have been developed by some of the greatest apparel minds on planet Earth, but we all know the Ducks get a little something extra; The Phil Knight touch, you may say (he is an alumni, if you didn’t know).
How will Oregon State’s relationship with Nike change, now that NIL rules allow the company to pay Oregon players sponsorship deals?
This conversation has gained traction online since NIL rules were enacted by the NCAA, earlier this month. One of the first big contracts to emerge was Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. He teamed up with Nike founder Phil Knight and sneaker designer, Tinker Hatfield to produce an NFT. It’s important to highlight the language of this deal. Nike, as a company, is mentioned nowhere in the contract. It’s between Knight, Hatfield and Thibodaux.
Nike most likely understands once they put marketing dollars behind a player, impartiality will go out the window with other schools that wear Nike apparel. Most notably, Oregon State would have to content with the world’s greatest sports apparel brand to land recruits being offered Nike NIL deals.
The Beavers will need to think ahead of these events. It won’t be long before other brands like Adidas and Under Armour provide their names to college athletes’ brands.