First it was Apple , now it’s Adidas.
First it was Apple, now it’s Adidas.
The Olds College Broncos athletics program has entered into a sponsorship deal with the sportswear company where students on each of the college’s sports teams will receive packages including "on-court and off-court training gear," said Bob Murray, the college’s new acting director of athletics, health and wellness.
He added the program reached the agreement with Adidas during the sports season that wrapped up earlier this spring.
"It’s been in the process over the last six months to look at an opportunity to be one of the only Canadian collegiate institutions to have an exclusive deal with Adidas," he said.
"We’ve been able to work that out that starting this fall, between the combination of institution funding as well as the Adidas funding, to be able to provide our athletes with an athlete package catered towards each one of the teams."
The institution funding comes from student fundraising efforts during the past season.
For example, Murray said, student-athletes sought donations through the school’s "booster club" program from family, friends and former coaches.
Money was also raised through camps and clinics held on campus throughout the year.
Although he could not give a dollar amount for the value of the deal since each team will require different sportswear, shoes or equipment, Murray said the sponsorship provides a "branding opportunity for our athletics program" and a chance to "enhance that student-athlete experience that much more."
"It’s basically the opportunity for us to continue to put our point on the map and for people to know who we are," he said. "After this year’s performance of some of our teams, we were on the map and this was something to pin us even deeper."
The company will also sponsor events on campus and in the community, Murray added.
"So any one of our tournaments that we host specifically at the college will be an Adidas-affiliated tournament."
The sponsorship deal is only in place for the upcoming sport season beginning in September and then will be re-negotiated next spring, he said.
Requests for comment from Adidas went unreturned before press time.
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