Why Move from Adidas to Nike Matters for Michigan Football

For most programs, the news of a change in equipment suppliers would serve as a mere footnote, even during the dog days of the college football offseason.

But this has already been far from a standard summer in Ann Arbor. And Monday's news that Nike will be taking over for Adidas as Michigan's official supplier in 2016 only proved as much.

While hardcore college football fans had their eyes on The Opening in Oregon, the Beaverton-based footwear manufacturer was helping make headlines for the more casual follower. Ever since Jim Harbaugh came to town, everything Wolverines-related has become consumable news, and Michigan's decision to trade in its three stripes for the world's most famous swoosh was no exception.

"After careful consideration, the right partner for the University of Michigan was Nike," Michigan interim athletic director Jim Hackett said in a statement. "This decision, this partnership is about more than Michigan athletics; at the core, it is about our university community and it is about two great names reuniting for an opportunity that speaks to more than uniforms and apparel."

DUANE BURLESON/Associated Press/Associated Press/Associated Press/Associated Press

It's not the first time the Wolverines have donned the swoosh, as Michigan was a Nike school from 1994 to 2007 before inking an eight-year deal with Adidas that is set to expire on July 31 of next summer. But for the Wolverines, their Nike rebirth couldn't have come at a better time as the remodernization of Michigan football under Harbaugh finds itself in full swing.

The fact that the Wolverines' deal with Adidas has coincided with what's largely been seven disappointing seasons on the gridiron is a coincidence, but one can't help but feel like their return to the top uniform supplier in college football is a step in the right direction. It's not just quantity but quality that has made the swoosh one of the sport's most prominent markings, with Nike outfitting 18 of the teams in last season's final AP Top 25, while Adidas laid claim to just four.

Unscientifically, Nike's uniforms have drawn a much better reception from college football fans as well, as evidenced by Monday's reaction to Michigan's switch.

"

Feels like Michigan again. A big time coach with a big time brand.

— . (@CLEWolverine) July 6, 2015"

That's not to say there will be a correlation between any future on-field success and the Wolverines' new duds, although if you're a believer in the "Look good, play good" philosophy, this certainly can't hurt. After all, Oregon has built an entire identity based on what it wears, with Nike providing the Ducks with more than 500 uniform combinations. 

"Every school has their niche, and God bless Oregon for finding their niche," Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said of the Ducks in advance of the College Football Playoff championship. "That is a huge part of it."

A similar plethora of options in Ann Arbor is highly unlikely as most forays into alternate uniforms by Adidas were seemingly met with resistance over the past few years by the Wolverines fanbase. But Nike has a stronger track record with such ventures than their soon-to-be predecessors at Michigan and could provide the football team with its own version of Ohio State's well received Pro Combat uniform set.

But as is the case with most deals, it might be the money that's the most telling aspect of the Wolverines' rebranding.

With its Adidas contract netting an annual $8.2 million, one would imagine it would take a pretty penny for Michigan to move its sizable fanbase to a different supplier. And even with Michigan Daily's Zach Shaw reporting the Wolverines will be Nike's "top deal"—financial details won't be released until July 13—that doesn't necessarily mean a raise from the Adidas pact, as Nike's current top client is Florida State, which it pays a reported $4.4 million per year.

In other words, it's highly likely Michigan took a significant pay cut to strike its new deal, just as Tennessee did when it announced its switch from Adidas to Nike in 2014. Nike was also the preferred choice of Harbaugh throughout his employer's search for a new supplier, according to 247Sports.com's Steve Lorenz.

The reaction from recruits to the news Monday also appears to be positive, with a number of prospects stating that they prefer Nike. Perhaps that's why it shouldn't come as a surprise the Wolverines are treating their return to Nike as more of an event than a transaction, with swooshes already popping up all over Ann Arbor.

Of course, as has been the case with most of the positive publicity that Harbaugh has obtained for his alma mater this offseason, all of it will be for naught without wins on the field in the fall. But even with the Nike deal a year away from kicking in, the optimism surrounding the new era of Wolverines football is more than apparent.

"Nike is a recognized leader in its field when it comes to product innovation," Hackett said, "and we look forward to future collaboration."

Clearly, he's not alone.

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.