BOWLING GREEN — The new contract between Bowling Green State University and Nike runs through the 2022-23 school year, public records show.
The agreement is an extension of the partnership between BGSU and Nike by which the company has exclusive rights to outfit the Falcons' sports teams.
During the duration of the deal, Nike will provide Bowling Green with roughly $177,000 worth of product allotments per year. Retailer BSN Sports will supply Bowling Green with its contractually agreed-upon merchandise from Nike.
According to the contract, obtained by The Blade through a public records request, BGSU and Nike agreed upon a renewal in February and the agreement took effect on June 1.
Nike will serve as the outfitter for all of Bowling Green's 18 varsity sports teams, though three teams — baseball, softball, and hockey — have prior agreements for sport-specific equipment. Hockey, for instance, has an ongoing pact with Michigan-based Warrior to supply its gloves and hockey sticks.
The deal between Bowling Green and Nike comes with a number of standard perks for both sides, including many incentive clauses for successful seasons by the football team or its counterparts in men's or women's basketball.
The largest allotment is for Bowling Green's football team, which is allowed $75,000 of product based on retail value, 400 T-shirts, and $10,000 of product for the coaching staff.
Men's basketball will be allowed an allotment of $18,340 per year, with the women's basketball team at $13,865. Nike will provide shoes, warm-ups, bags, and 12 basketballs to both teams.
The rest of the BG department of athletics has a $60,000 allotment.
Bowling Green teams, however, can sweeten the deal by winning. The football team, according to the terms of the contract, would receive performance bonuses of $5,000 for making the Mid-American Conference championship game, $7,500 for making a bowl game, and $10,000 for winning the MAC.
The basketball teams have $1,000 bonuses for winning the league and $2,000 for qualifying for the NCAA tournament, with graduated bonuses starting at the Sweet 16.
If any of the Falcons' coaches in those three sports were to be named coach of the year, the contact calls for a bonus of $1,500.
Nike will be granted "prominent" recognition in all of Bowling Green's athletic-related publications, in-game recognition from the public address system or video board at all home games, and space on baseline signage and LED scoreboards at all men’s and women’s basketball home games at the Stroh Center.
Further, Nike is entitled to four lower-level tickets to any regular-season game at Bowling Green, two lower-level tickets at any championship game, and two lower-level tickets at any bowl game for the Falcons' football team.
BGSU and Nike initially agreed to a five-year deal in 2015. Previously, the BGSU sports teams were supplied by adidas.
First Published September 14, 2020, 8:31 p.m.
