CU's Nike Contract

[rolandftw]

Really inexcusable that it took this long to have jerseys available to the general public

 

[Buffnik]

I think this plays a huge role in recruiting also. High school kids are very aware of who the schools have contracts with and many are very sensitive to wearing "in" clothing.

True. And... smfh.

 

[azbuff]

Really inexcusable that it took this long to have jerseys available to the general public

Or shorts. Or pullovers, or really anything related to CU basketball. But, hey, I can buy my forthcoming twins white Darrell Scott jerseys in toddler sizes on Fanatics.com!

 

[rolandftw]

Or shorts. Or pullovers, or really anything related to CU basketball. But, hey, I can buy my forthcoming twins white Darrell Scott jerseys in toddler sizes on Fanatics.com!

Yeah, it just seems like they are okay turning down money

 

[dio]

Buy your stuff through the Allbuffs Fanatics storefront. It is a tab at the top of the page. Slackers

 

[slider]

Really inexcusable that it took this long to have jerseys available to the general public

Too bad they're gonna be replicas with giant numbers... not Nike.

 

[absinthe]

Buy your stuff through the Allbuffs Fanatics storefront. It is a tab at the top of the page. Slackers

here is the link if you need it:
http://www.fanatics.com/COLLEGE_Colorado_Buffaloes/partnerid/9699

 

[BuffG]

Really don't think this is just a CU thing. I recall reading a few years back that there was a mass scale back on college basketball jerseys by the sports apparel companies because sales were so low. Think they just limited production to the blue bloods. Buffs Hoops jerseys were in the book store and online up until about 2010-11. Such a shame that there has been, to my knowledge, zero production of #25 and #40 jerseys.

 

[Buffnik]

I wonder why they don't do old jerseys with names on them & pay a license fee to the former player. I think a lot of fans would buy a CU Billups, Burks or Roberson jersey. Same for football.

 

[azbuff]

Too bad they're gonna be replicas with giant numbers... not Nike.

If so, sad to hear. What is your source for that?

Almost every other Pac-12 team has an adult-sized basketball jersey available on Fanatics.com (adidas and Nike sponsored schools alike).

 

[BupsJones]

Here's what I can add to the subject:


Nike has only made replica basketball jerseys for 4 schools this season: North Carolina, Syracuse, Michigan State and Duke. Anything that you see on various retail websites or in stores across the country is from last season's leftover stock or even before. Is there a chance, right before the NCAA Tournament that Nike could surprise us with replica jerseys and shorts for the top teams going into March? It's possible, as they have done that before. Yes, even mighty Arizona only has replica jerseys from last season available, right now.


It still is not right, but lots of schools are in the same boat as us.


As for our athletic department which gets the finger pointed at them for no good reason on this issue: The equipment department at CU has tried their best to work with Nike to add us to the list of schools that has replica apparel available for sale, but I guess since we have never won an NCAA basketball championship, haven't been to a Final Four since 1955 and the fact that only in the past 3 seasons have we been consistently winning...well, we just are not being chosen right now for that type of treatment. Here is a direct quote from the equipment dept. - "Please believe me when I tell you, as a department, we have collectively been working with Nike for two years now to resolve this issue."


Again, it stinks.


Adidas, whose website has no college basketball replica jerseys for sale, seems to have about a dozen different college replicas available on various sports clothing websites, but it's hard to tell if they are this or last year's styles. Maybe a combination of both.


So, it might just be a sign of the times right now whereas 5 years ago and for much of the '00s, you could easily find replica jerseys and shorts for 50+ Nike schools on Eastbay, in the campus bookstores, etc. Maybe the O'Bannon lawsuit with video games or the stuff Jay Bilas uncovered during football season about a player's likeness with photos/autographs is playing a role, but this is where we are at. Maybe this stings a little more because we are used to seeing Nike replicas during the down years for CU basketball and now that we are great and have a terrific new look, nothing is available to buy.


I'm disappointed, too.


On the bright side, maybe the replicas available next week will be a little cheaper than what Nike stuff would have cost ($120 for those 4 schools' replica jerseys that I listed) and hopefully (I'm being very optimistic) the "agreement with another manufacturer to produce exact replicas of our new and exciting jerseys" will look good. A few seasons ago, CU did a promotion where you could get a jersey and game ticket, and it was a white jersey from a sort of generic manufacturer. I still have mine (#33, I think) and aside from it being "special Nike fabric" it looks sharp, fits well and didn't cost $100. Our font and colors are not hard to replicate and I doubt that the athletic department would go into this venture if they weren't satisfied with the product being offered. Again, I am not being an apologist or mouthpiece and I have not seen these replicas, but I feel good about what will be offered.


I have been wrong before.


As a side note: I've emailed, called, met with, etc. Nike, CU, retailers on The Hill and online for over a year now to try and get some real answers and honesty on this topic since I know so many fans, students and alumni care. Obviously, I really care. This is the most and best information I have been able to share and though still disappointing, I'm happy that our equipment department has decided to do something about the void and I feel confident that as we continue to have good seasons on the hardwood, that Nike will recognize.

 

[azbuff]

Here's what I can add to the subject:


Nike has only made replica basketball jerseys for 4 schools this season: North Carolina, Syracuse, Michigan State and Duke. Anything that you see on various retail websites or in stores across the country is from last season's leftover stock or even before. Is there a chance, right before the NCAA Tournament that Nike could surprise us with replica jerseys and shorts for the top teams going into March? It's possible, as they have done that before. Yes, even mighty Arizona only has replica jerseys from last season available, right now.


It still is not right, but lots of schools are in the same boat as us.


As for our athletic department which gets the finger pointed at them for no good reason on this issue: The equipment department at CU has tried their best to work with Nike to add us to the list of schools that has replica apparel available for sale, but I guess since we have never won an NCAA basketball championship, haven't been to a Final Four since 1955 and the fact that only in the past 3 seasons have we been consistently winning...well, we just are not being chosen right now for that type of treatment. Here is a direct quote from the equipment dept. - "Please believe me when I tell you, as a department, we have collectively been working with Nike for two years now to resolve this issue."


Again, it stinks.


Adidas, whose website has no college basketball replica jerseys for sale, seems to have about a dozen different college replicas available on various sports clothing websites, but it's hard to tell if they are this or last year's styles. Maybe a combination of both.


So, it might just be a sign of the times right now whereas 5 years ago and for much of the '00s, you could easily find replica jerseys and shorts for 50+ Nike schools on Eastbay, in the campus bookstores, etc. Maybe the O'Bannon lawsuit with video games or the stuff Jay Bilas uncovered during football season about a player's likeness with photos/autographs is playing a role, but this is where we are at. Maybe this stings a little more because we are used to seeing Nike replicas during the down years for CU basketball and now that we are great and have a terrific new look, nothing is available to buy.


I'm disappointed, too.


On the bright side, maybe the replicas available next week will be a little cheaper than what Nike stuff would have cost ($120 for those 4 schools' replica jerseys that I listed) and hopefully (I'm being very optimistic) the "agreement with another manufacturer to produce exact replicas of our new and exciting jerseys" will look good. A few seasons ago, CU did a promotion where you could get a jersey and game ticket, and it was a white jersey from a sort of generic manufacturer. I still have mine (#33, I think) and aside from it being "special Nike fabric" it looks sharp, fits well and didn't cost $100. Our font and colors are not hard to replicate and I doubt that the athletic department would go into this venture if they weren't satisfied with the product being offered. Again, I am not being an apologist or mouthpiece and I have not seen these replicas, but I feel good about what will be offered.


I have been wrong before.


As a side note: I've emailed, called, met with, etc. Nike, CU, retailers on The Hill and online for over a year now to try and get some real answers and honesty on this topic since I know so many fans, students and alumni care. Obviously, I really care. This is the most and best information I have been able to share and though still disappointing, I'm happy that our equipment department has decided to do something about the void and I feel confident that as we continue to have good seasons on the hardwood, that Nike will recognize.

I almost mentioned O'Bannon in my prior post, but it didn't seem to hold NIKE back this college football season with the #6. Some random player on the football team I don't remember.

Add Arizona to your list of four: http://www.fanatics.com/COLLEGE_Ari...tic_Performance_Basketball_Jersey_-_Navy_Blue. Nick Johnson. Also $120.

I would happily settle for some shorts and/or the pullovers. I don't see it happening, though.

Great info Bups, rep sent.

 

[BupsJones]

I almost mentioned O'Bannon in my prior post, but it didn't seem to hold NIKE back this college football season with the #6. Some random player on the football team I don't remember.

Add Arizona to your list of four: http://www.fanatics.com/COLLEGE_Ari...tic_Performance_Basketball_Jersey_-_Navy_Blue. Nick Johnson. Also $120.

I would happily settle for some shorts and/or the pullovers. I don't see it happening, though.

Great info Bups, rep sent.

My pleasure. That Arizona jersey is from last season, I think. As you can see, only one size is available. If you go to Nike's website, you can see the 4 jerseys they have available that are new, this season. Fanatics has many jerseys for Nike schools in a few sizes out there, sort of like how they still have #21s in youth sizes, but they are all from past few seasons. Seems to make the case for Nike that replica jerseys don't sell like they used to. Perhaps because so many players are 1 and done?

 

[azbuff]

My pleasure. That Arizona jersey is from last season, I think. As you can see, only one size is available. If you go to Nike's website, you can see the 4 jerseys they have available that are new, this season. Fanatics has many jerseys for Nike schools in a few sizes out there, sort of like how they still have #21s in youth sizes, but they are all from past few seasons. Seems to make the case for Nike that replica jerseys don't sell like they used to. Perhaps because so many players are 1 and done?

You could be right about the Arizona jersey. But how does Nike justify selling a #6 football jersey for a guy they knew was bouncing to the pros and for a team they knew was going to be ****tastic?

And I took a glance at the Nike website. For fan gear it goes Cal, Central Florida, Clemson, Connecticut. Ouch.

 

[BupsJones]

You could be right about the Arizona jersey. But how does Nike justify selling a #6 football jersey for a guy they knew was bouncing to the pros and for a team they knew was going to be ****tastic?

And I took a glance at the Nike website. For fan gear it goes Cal, Central Florida, Clemson, Connecticut. Ouch.

Nothing makes sense, and I am frustrated and disappointed like most everyone. It's amazing to me how down that we have been in football and that we still get the replica jersey treatment. I guess winning a National Championship 25 years ago still has precedent. Who knows...

Adidas and Under Armour do not offer much on their websites for the colleges that they outfit. Try searching Louisville on the Adidas website and you will find zero items. They are the national champions of basketball, just won a big bowl game in football and have a mighty good women's team. Not even a t-shirt for them on the Adidas website.

I'm really too old to be wearing basketball jerseys anyway, but it would be nice to have a stronger presence on the Nike website. We do have over 170 Nike items on Football Fanatics (the top sports merchandise website out there) and the CuBuffs.com Store website.

 

[absinthe]

I wonder why they don't do old jerseys with names on them & pay a license fee to the former player. I think a lot of fans would buy a CU Billups, Burks or Roberson jersey. Same for football.

NCAA no likely this plan

 

[Buffnik]

CU has 2 seasons to cement itself as a basketball tournament regular and get back to being a respected football property.

Then the next round of negotiations come and we see whether Nike gets out-bid by Under Armour or Adidas.

 

[CVilleBuff]

Under Armor unis are god awful, but I'd certainly entertain being a rare Pac school with Under Armor instead of having the same brand as 90 percent of our conference foes. Especially with Oregon being NikeU and Cal rocking the Jordans, we're a second tier Nike school.