Special to the Florida State Times
With one swoosh of the pen, Florida State reached a five-year, $6 million agreement with Nike Inc. to provide athletic attire which, of course, will prominently display the shoe manufacturer's swoosh logo.
The deal exceeds the $5.7-million, six-year agreement the University of Michigan made with Nike last fall.
Nike will supply FSU, among a dozen universities that have all-sports agreements with apparel companies, with practice apparel and game uniforms annually for 17 intercollegiate sports. The FSU athletic department spent more than $350,000 on such items in 1994-95.
"I am really pleased with the agreement and the partnership as it relates to the entire program," FSU Athletic Director Dave Hart said. "I think the contract is a good one in the sense that it not only benefits athletics, but also the university."
Nike also will make a $100,000 contribution to the University Capital Campaign, through the purchase of a skybox at Doak Campbell Stadium, and a $750,000 gift to be used for minority and women's programs and a degree completion program for former athletes.
"It gives the university and president the discretion to take those dollars, as it relates to some of the scholarship areas that we've designated, that we'll be able to match some of those monies," Hart said.
Under the terms of the contract, Nike will pay $225,000 annually as part of coach Bobby Bowden's contract. The agreement with Nike was one of the factors delaying completion of Bowden's new five-year contract, which is expected to pay him $1 million annually. Hart has said he would like to have Bowden's pact signed by the end of football season.
Basketball coach Pat Kennedy will receive $150,000 and baseball coach Mike Martin $15,000 from Nike as part of the financial package.
Under the agreement, FSU retains its ownership of registered trademarks such as the Seminole Indian logo, and merchants still will be allowed to sell FSU sportswear with the Seminole logo on it. Last year, FSU was No. 2 in merchandise sold nationally behind Michigan.
FSU is the eighth school to reach an agreement on an all-university contract with Nike, the second in Florida. Miami was the first to sign such a deal with the nation's leading producer of athletic footwear, which has recently put added emphasis on its apparel and sideline wear marketing.
Michigan, North Carolina, USC, Illinois, Penn State and Alabama also have contracts with Nike.
The cheerleaders, dance team and even athletic administrators will be supplied with Nike attire. In return, FSU will provide to Nike:
*Up to 30 tickets to each of two home football games designated by the university;
*Up to 12 bowl-game tickets in which the football team is a participant;
*Up to six season tickets to men's and women's home basketball games;
*Up to 25 tickets to one home men's and women's basketball game designated by the university.
FSU also will allow Nike corporate signs at Doak Campbell Stadium and the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center as well as logo recognition in media guides, sports-related publications and videos generated by the university.
With the Nike deal completed, Hart's attention will shift to a pending agreement with Host Communications Inc., which owns and operates the Seminole Sports Network.
"The corporate partnership angle is certainly not new as it relates to intercollegiate athletics," Hart said. "But as we enter the year 2000 it will be essential that we continue to explore new sources of revenue."
FSU: $6 million, 5 years.
Michigan: $5.7 million, six years.
North Carolina: $4.69 million, four years.
Alabama: $2.9 million, five years.
Penn State: $2.6 million, four years.
Illinois: $2.5 million, seven years.