Adidas renews agreement with Eastern Michigan Athletics

German sportswear giant Adidas has renewed its agreement with the athletics department of Eastern Michigan University (EMU), remaining the official sportswear and footwear provider for the university's sports teams. The current contract would have ended in June.

“The seven-year contract between EMU and Adidas runs through June 30, 2022, and replaces the current five-year deal that expires at the end of June,” confirmed EMU in a press release. “The new contract continues a relationship that began in 2005 and grants Adidas the rights to serve as the official apparel and footwear provider for each of Eastern Michigan's 21 varsity sports.

EMU decided to continue the partnership due to the "long-standing relationship between EMU and Adidas". "We are thrilled to extend our relationship with Adidas. We have high expectations for our coaches, student-athletes and staff and know that Adidas allows us to achieve great results by supplying us the best equipment and apparel,” said ," said Heather Lyke, EMU's vice president and director of athletics.

"We are excited about the direction of athletics at Eastern Michigan University," said Jim Murphy, director of NCAA sports marketing for Adidas America. "Over the next seven years, we will outfit the Eagles in our newest and most innovative footwear, apparel and uniforms.”

Adidas is the official uniform, footwear and apparel provider for more than 100 collegiate programs, which are highly lucrative. The company ran into trouble with Cornell University, Wisconsin-Madison and Rutgers University in 2012 when it refused to provide severance payment for the Indonesian workers of one of its subcontractors. After having lost millions of dollars in missed partnership deals (much more than the sum owed to the workers), Adidas finally caved in and paid the outstanding amount.