The Tennessee Volunteers' apparel contract with Nike is set to end in the summer of next year. Recently, whispers of a move back to Adidas have been circulating social media.
Players caught wind of the online rumors, prompting responses from a number of current roster members. The possibility of a switch has been met with overwhelming negativity.
Nike is scheduled to pay Tennessee $1.2 million in base compensation in 2025-26, with an annual product allotment of $4.5 million... Per the contract, UT and Nike began negotiations for extending the deal in late 2024. But that exclusive negotiating window ended March 30.
UT is now free to explore other options... If Adidas, for example, can offer UT a much higher payout, it would help fund a more talented roster [through NIL]...
UT also could be prioritized and promoted as a premier partner of another brand, and its athletes would benefit from it. That's a new concept in the NIL era, where schools can facilitate corporate contracts for their athletes.
-Knox News
The argument for Nike is popularity. Seventeen of the preseason Top 25 teams from last year were sponsored by the brand, including SEC rivals Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss. It's widely considered the top apparel company in the US.
The argument against Nike is an ability to spotlight the program as a new brand's top client. Tennessee could benefit from team-specific campaigns, potentially benefitting players and the school.
At the moment, Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Miami are among Adidas's most notable schools in college football. They're received that individual attention in online ads.
Despite the pros of a switch to Adidas, Tennessee football players aren't particularly fond of a change. A number of Vols took to social media to rip the idea this week.
Three highly rated Tennessee players blasted a possible apparel deal with Adidas on Instagram. Those teammates were Travis Smith, Kaleb Beasley and Ethan Utley.
A fourth, Daevin Hobbs, also chimed in by posting a message that read, "Keep the check," alongside a graphic showing athletic director Danny White with the headline, "Just Don't Do It."
Players aren't thrilled with a potential change. It will be interesting to see if White takes those opinions into consideration.
It's not the first time players and fanbases have expressed frustration with their school's apparel partnership. SEC brethren South Carolina has been an Under Armour program for the last decade. The current deal, which was signed in 2016, was the conference's second largest at the time.
Despite the payout, fans called for a switch to Nike with the contract set to expire in 2026. The debate only heated up after former star basketball player A'ja Wilson signed a shoe deal with the company last year.
Notre Dame is another top Under Armour brand. A portion of the fanbase pushed for a move away from the company in 2023, only to see the Irish extend that partnership another 10 years.
Tennessee football players aren't happy with the idea of an Adidas deal. They've made that clear with their recent social media activity. In the end, it may not matter. The university will continue to weigh its options to make the decision it sees best.