Adidas named as apparel supplier

IU will change from a swoosh to three stripes when the athletics department changes apparel suppliers from Nike to Adidas July 1. \nThe department also announced that current Athletics Director Terry Clapacs will step down to make way for a new director to be determined in September.\nIU had been under contract with Nike from 2001 and signed a two-year deal that expires June 30.\nThe process began when IU received unsolicited offers from other apparel merchandisers in 2003. IU solicited proposals on Oct. 7 to around five companies, with the main three consisting of Adidas, Nike and Reebok.\nWhen it was time to make a decision, the Adidas offer was the best one, Clapacs said.\n"We went through the request process and opened it up to everyone," he said. "In the end, Adidas ended up being the best deal for IU."\nThe contract at this point has not been signed, and is for an undetermined number of years and with unspecified cash considerations. The contract will be similar to the Nike one, in that they will supply all of the athletics equipment for the 24 varsity sports\nWhen asked about the specifics of the contract, all sources declined to comment.\nThe Varsity Shop will carry the new Adidas apparel, but will continue to sell Nike items.\nHoosier fans can expect many new Adidas items to arrive in both Varsity Shop locations no later than Aug. 1, said Jeff Horan, associate athletics director of merchandising.\nConcerning cream and crimson, the colors Nike had and Adidas will have should resemble one another, but could vary depending on material.\nThe athletics department is hoping that because of the quick switch from Nike to Adidas, fans aren't disgruntled about trying to keep pace with the look on the field, Horan said.\n"We hope that there is no backlash from Nike purchasers," Horan said, "as (the shops) try to have as close to what they have on the courts and fields for the fans."\nWith the new deal, it will mark the first time that Adidas has been a licensed vendor of all IU sports products. In the past, Adidas had licensed some men's soccer products.\nIn addition to the cash consideration, the athletics department will have a full-time Adidas representative in Bloomington, Clapacs said.\nWith the athletics department suffering through a deficit, IU will not have to worry about a cost from switching, said purchasing contract manager Mike Keen.\n"The tangible benefits were clearly much improved with Adidas over the Nike deal," Keen said.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.