Nike didn’t even try to keep Tennessee.
That’s the reality behind the Volunteers’ upcoming apparel switch from the Swoosh to Adidas' three stripes, according to longtime Tennessee insider Wes Rucker. After 12 years with Nike, Tennessee’s contract gave the brand the right to counter any competing offer — and they didn’t.
“Nike doesn’t value Tennessee. That’s not an opinion. It’s a fact,” Rucker said. “We know this because Nike’s current contract with Tennessee allows it to counter and match any offer from any brand. Nike didn’t table an offer. It knew everything Adidas offered Tennessee, and it never put pen to paper on a counter offer. Maybe it tried. Maybe it didn’t. But any and every effort stopped short of a formal counter. Nike — and its iconic, Jordan Brand division — were willing to let the Vols walk. So the Vols walked.”
Adidas, meanwhile, is making it clear they view Tennessee as a flagship program. “Multiple sources for months have insisted to yours truly that Adidas is committed to treating Tennessee the way Nike treats Oregon, or the way Under Armor treats Notre Dame,” Rucker added.
Exact figures haven’t been released, but reports from ESPN’s Chris Low and Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger put the deal at at least $100 million over 10 years — and some industry chatter suggests it could hit $20 million per season. Either figure would put Tennessee at or near the top of the college apparel market.
This partnership is also deeply tied to NIL. Athletic director Danny White told Dellenger that player compensation was “at the forefront” of his mind when negotiating the deal. Adidas is already working on individual NIL agreements for UT athletes this school year, nearly a year before the official start date in July 2026.
Tennessee has been aggressive in the NIL space before, adding a 10% fee to football tickets last year to fund athlete compensation. Now they’re breaking new ground again, becoming the first major program to directly link a brand deal to widespread NIL payouts.
With more than 20 other power-conference schools set to see apparel deals expire in the next two years, Tennessee’s move could be a blueprint others follow. For now, the Vols are leaving Nike behind and stepping into a partnership designed to pay off on the field, on the court and in the bank accounts of their athletes.