Nike extended its partnership with USC Athletics through 2036 in a 10-year renewal announced Thursday, keeping the Trojans in Swoosh uniforms through the end of the next decade. Financial terms were not disclosed, though industry benchmarks place USC's annual apparel rights fee near $10 million, consistent with Nike's mid-tier Power Five deals.
The extension arrives as USC enters its second season in the Big Ten, where Nike already controls 11 of 18 conference apparel contracts—Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon among them. The renewal eliminates a 2027 expiration window that might have attracted bids from Adidas or Under Armour, both of whom have lost marquee school inventory over the past five years. Adidas currently holds four Big Ten schools; Under Armour holds two.
For Nike, the move is defensive architecture. The Beaverton giant has operated on rolling 10-year cycles with top-tier programs since the early 2010s, locking schools before apparel auctions can develop. USC's West Coast brand strength and Big Ten media exposure justify the renewal cost, particularly as the conference's $7 billion Fox/CBS/NBC deal delivers national windows. The Trojans appear in prime time eight times this fall; every appearance is a Nike billboard.
The timing also reflects USC's infrastructure ambitions. Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen, hired in May 2023 from Washington, has prioritized facility upgrades and NIL funding structures. Apparel guarantees backstop those investments. Nike's deal includes product allocations across 21 varsity programs, plus NIL activation rights that allow Trojan athletes to sign individual Swoosh endorsements without conflicting sponsor language—a structure Nike began offering after the 2021 NIL rule change.
Worth noting: Nike announced separate NIL deals this week with five-star high school prospects, including quarterback Julian Sayin, now enrolled at Ohio State. The strategy mirrors what it deployed with basketball's prep pipeline—sign the talent before they choose schools, then leverage those relationships when the athletes arrive at Nike partner universities. USC fields 15 Nike-endorsed athletes across football, basketball, and track as of fall 2024.
What this doesn't address: USC's equipment budget has lagged Pac-12 peers historically, a gap that mattered less in a regional conference but shows under Big Ten comparisons. Oregon's Nike deal includes on-campus design labs and custom product runs; USC's renewal appears more transactional. The distinction will matter if the Trojans chase coaches or coordinators accustomed to Oregon-level apparel support.
The renewal also removes a pressure point. Adidas has been hunting a West Coast anchor since losing UCLA to Under Armour (then winning UCLA back in 2020 at reduced terms, roughly $6.5 million annually). A USC defection would have opened the door. Instead, Nike controls Southern California's two largest programs through 2036 and 2030 respectively.
Upcoming: USC's football recruiting class is ranked eighth nationally by 247Sports as of December 2024. The first early signing period closes next week. Coordinator hires are expected in January following Lincoln Riley's defensive staff overhaul. Nike's NIL activation window opens when those freshmen arrive on campus in June.
The takeaway
Nike eliminates a 2027 auction risk and cements Big Ten apparel dominance while Adidas loses another West Coast bidding opportunity.
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