The NFL’s exclusive contract for NFL gear with Reebok is set to expire April 3rd. That gives you just a week to grab up some gear before Nike gets their hands in the gears and most likely will start messing with things. So look forward to 184 different Cincinnati Bengals jersey variations and fluorescent green Seattle Seahawks unis on a weekly basis.
Reebok is wise enough to see the deadline on the horizon and they have started to quickly churn out the official New York Jets Tim Tebow jersey to capitalize on the popularity of the newest Jets player.
So if you’re looking to grab a Tebow Jets jersey you might want to wait until the switch. The new Nike’s might be better but worse case scenario is that there are some old Reebok versions on clearance.
[via Advertising Age]Seven major apparel partners will start new contracts with the NFL on Sunday, April 1. On Monday, April 2, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will cut the ribbon and ring up the first sale as the league opens an NFL pop-up shop in Manhattan to herald the launch of its new apparel deals.
Finally, on Tuesday, April 3, in Brooklyn, Nike will unveil all 32 team NFL jerseys at an invitation-only event.
According to several executives with knowledge of the deal that was finalized in October 2010, Nike is paying between $1 billion and $1.5 billion for its five-year agreement to be the league’s official uniform and on-field apparel provider, as well as to produce sideline-personnel apparel and fan gear.
Matt Powell, an analyst with SportsOneSource, a Charlotte, N.C.-based online sporting-goods industry newsletter, said Nike could make half of that back in year one.
“Reebok did about $500 million [annually] at wholesale at the height of the deal, and last year did probably half of that, what with retailers winding down and nobody wanting to get stuck with product,” Mr. Powell said. “With the new uniforms, and refilling the pipeline, Nike could do as much as $750 million this year.”
