One of the great offseason debates among Mississippi State fans that has popped up in recent years is one of the official uniform supplier. Many clamor for the old slanted "MSU" logo and the dignity of being a Swoosh school. Others assert that Adidas is the best thing for State.
When Jackie Sherrill was replaced by Sylvester Croom in 2004, Mississippi State AD Larry Templeton left longtime supplier Nike behind in favor of Russell Athletic. This move meant that the slanted "MSU" logo could no longer be used on the helmet, because Nike owned it, as explained here. 5 years later, Croom was fired and Dan Mullen was hired. New AD Greg Byrne took this opportunity to completely rebrand the athletic department, introducing new logos, workmark, font, and supplier in Adidas. Adidas's tenure has been filled with alternate uniforms, TechFit jerseys, and controversial bats and profane shirts for the baseball program. Some of these controversial events have caused many to call for MSU to ditch Adidas and go back to Nike. Here's why we shouldn't, and won't, do that:
$$$$$$$$$$
When Jackie Sherrill was replaced by Sylvester Croom in 2004, Mississippi State AD Larry Templeton left longtime supplier Nike behind in favor of Russell Athletic. This move meant that the slanted "MSU" logo could no longer be used on the helmet, because Nike owned it, as explained here. 5 years later, Croom was fired and Dan Mullen was hired. New AD Greg Byrne took this opportunity to completely rebrand the athletic department, introducing new logos, workmark, font, and supplier in Adidas. Adidas's tenure has been filled with alternate uniforms, TechFit jerseys, and controversial bats and profane shirts for the baseball program. Some of these controversial events have caused many to call for MSU to ditch Adidas and go back to Nike. Here's why we shouldn't, and won't, do that:
$$$$$$$$$$
Money talks, folks. Adidas is paying Mississippi State $2.5 Million a year ($17.5 Million over 7 years, expiring in 2020), not the other way around, as your average Facebook commenter would think (Why are we spending so much money/time on uniforms????? Spend that money/time elsewhere!!!!).
Of course, Nike pays schools, too. They pay larger SEC schools (i.e. LSU, Bama, Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky[think basketball]) in the three to four million a year range. But what about other schools? Nike pays Georgia about the same as Adidas pays MSU, around $2.5m/y. They pay Missouri slightly less, at $2.25m/y. But what about that other SEC school, slightly to the north, that Nike supplies? They receive a meager $2.05 million a year from Nike, nearly half a million less a year than Adidas pays MSU.
Tennessee's recent switch to Nike will likely bring them cooler and cleaner uniforms, but it also cost them. Tennessee, who received a staggering $5.5m last year with Adidas, will average around $4.1m a year for the next 8 years with Nike. A school like Tennessee won't be hurt by the paycut. For Mississippi State? A paycut certainly wouldn't be a good thing.
EXPOSURE
Since signing with Adidas in 2009, the Bulldogs have had 8 alternate football uniforms, and are likely to add to that total this year. Now, there is nothing unique about that in this day and age in college football. Its the reason uni trackers like this blog exist. However, the fact remains: Crazy uniforms get publicity. The Snow Bowl unis from 2012 were different and newsworthy, and the #SNOWBOWL12 end zones got that practice banned by the NCAA. The Egg Bowl unis have garnered publicity and the "HAIL STATE" on the front inspired another new NCAA rule.
Adidas has further attempted to enhance the brand of Mississippi State established in 2009. The "Ribbon Stripe" unis were a good concept that built on the banner in the "M-STATE" helmet logo. However, they were poorly executed and were never embraced by MSU fans. They did a good job with the DWS 100 unis (though they tried to mess it up originally with "Hail State" on the front and did mess it up with the gray logo on the pants, but I digress), which became the symbol of last year's run as #1 and showed up on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice.
By far, the most ingenious thing that has come out of the last 5 years was not thought of by Adidas but has been embraced by Adidas and has given us a national brand. That thing is "HAIL STATE". It's been the fight song for forever, but within the last 5 years, it has become our equivalent of "Roll Tide". Combine that with our recent football success, and you have a NATIONAL BRAND. Why is that? Because Mississippi State is more important to Adidas than it would be to Nike.
Adidas has pushed "Hail State". They have pushed "Stark Vegas". They have made us their #1 baseball school, giving us 17 combos last year (which didn't work out, but that's our fault, not theirs). We will be one of their top basketball schools this year with Ben Howland (whose Adidas ties may have even helped land him at State) and Malik Newman. I'll be the first one to tell you that Nike's uniform templates and designs look better than Adidas's Shockwave TechFit crap. Adidas has its faults. Just look at last year's SEC Baseball Tournament unis or the profane T-Shirt debacle to see that. But the bottom line is that we would just be another generic school under Nike. With Adidas, we have a national brand.
Of course, Nike pays schools, too. They pay larger SEC schools (i.e. LSU, Bama, Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky[think basketball]) in the three to four million a year range. But what about other schools? Nike pays Georgia about the same as Adidas pays MSU, around $2.5m/y. They pay Missouri slightly less, at $2.25m/y. But what about that other SEC school, slightly to the north, that Nike supplies? They receive a meager $2.05 million a year from Nike, nearly half a million less a year than Adidas pays MSU.
Tennessee's recent switch to Nike will likely bring them cooler and cleaner uniforms, but it also cost them. Tennessee, who received a staggering $5.5m last year with Adidas, will average around $4.1m a year for the next 8 years with Nike. A school like Tennessee won't be hurt by the paycut. For Mississippi State? A paycut certainly wouldn't be a good thing.
EXPOSURE
Since signing with Adidas in 2009, the Bulldogs have had 8 alternate football uniforms, and are likely to add to that total this year. Now, there is nothing unique about that in this day and age in college football. Its the reason uni trackers like this blog exist. However, the fact remains: Crazy uniforms get publicity. The Snow Bowl unis from 2012 were different and newsworthy, and the #SNOWBOWL12 end zones got that practice banned by the NCAA. The Egg Bowl unis have garnered publicity and the "HAIL STATE" on the front inspired another new NCAA rule.
Adidas has further attempted to enhance the brand of Mississippi State established in 2009. The "Ribbon Stripe" unis were a good concept that built on the banner in the "M-STATE" helmet logo. However, they were poorly executed and were never embraced by MSU fans. They did a good job with the DWS 100 unis (though they tried to mess it up originally with "Hail State" on the front and did mess it up with the gray logo on the pants, but I digress), which became the symbol of last year's run as #1 and showed up on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice.
By far, the most ingenious thing that has come out of the last 5 years was not thought of by Adidas but has been embraced by Adidas and has given us a national brand. That thing is "HAIL STATE". It's been the fight song for forever, but within the last 5 years, it has become our equivalent of "Roll Tide". Combine that with our recent football success, and you have a NATIONAL BRAND. Why is that? Because Mississippi State is more important to Adidas than it would be to Nike.
Adidas has pushed "Hail State". They have pushed "Stark Vegas". They have made us their #1 baseball school, giving us 17 combos last year (which didn't work out, but that's our fault, not theirs). We will be one of their top basketball schools this year with Ben Howland (whose Adidas ties may have even helped land him at State) and Malik Newman. I'll be the first one to tell you that Nike's uniform templates and designs look better than Adidas's Shockwave TechFit crap. Adidas has its faults. Just look at last year's SEC Baseball Tournament unis or the profane T-Shirt debacle to see that. But the bottom line is that we would just be another generic school under Nike. With Adidas, we have a national brand.
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