University of Minnesota’s sponsorship with Nike set to expire in a year

Nov 18, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers and Goldy huddle prior to the game against the Richmond Spiders at Williams Arena. The Gophers defeated the Spiders 72-57. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The University of Minnesota is in its final year of a seven-year agreement with Nike.

The contract with the sports apparel giant will expire in July of 2014, according to the Star Tribune. The current agreement stipulates that the schools receives $1 million a year in Nike merchandise as well as $200,000 a year in royalties.

Compared to other programs, Minnesota’s $1 million is chump change compared to Alabama which has an eight-year contract worth a reported $30 million.

Even in the Big Ten conference, the Gophers are in the bottom tier of apparel sponsorship. Michigan and Nebraska have contracts with Adidas that pay $6 and $2.5 million a year, respectively.

• Five Gopher athletic programs received perfect Academic Progress Rates from the NCAA and all sports passed the 930 point cutoff. Teams are subject to penalties if they fall below the cutoff.
• Women’s track and field assistant coach, Lynne Anderson, is retiring after 33 years. She was a 2003 Minnesota Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee.

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