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The Penn State football program had a fire sale over the weekend as it looks ahead to a new era. The athletic department is moving on from Nike to partner with adidas.
The Nittany Lions will sport their new brand on the field in the 2026-27 seasons. They’re getting rid of the old before making the official transition.
Penn State had been in partnership with Nike for more than 30 years. They dropped the apparel affiliate to sign a deal with adidas valued at $300 million over 10 years.
“This partnership goes far beyond uniforms, it is unlike anything else in the marketplace. Adidas is making an unprecedented commitment to Penn State: delivering record investment in our department, groundbreaking NIL and marketing opportunities and access to technology and innovation that no other program can match.”
-Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft
The agreement goes into effect on July 1, 2026.
With new gear coming in next year, the football program dumped old equipment for cheap.
Penn State had a football fire sale.
Penn State is doing a Nike fire sale because they’re switching to Adidas… not a bad deal here pic.twitter.com/ebIqe6QIw6
— IcyVert (@IcyVert) January 30, 2026
Cleats and other team-issued Nike gear was available for purchase at a price well below retail. Jerseys were also advertised.
Some had hoped to see gear donated to local high schools. The Nittany Lions are squeezing every penny out of the opportunity, which is understandable in today’s NIL landscape.
The sale was put on by Lion Surplus, which “handles the sustainable collection and resale of University-owned items.”
The fire sale is not unique to this season. The store puts one on each Spring. This year’s certainly has a different feel, though, given the switch.
Penn State is not the only major program making the move from Nike to adidas. The University of Tennessee will do the same, though not all of its players were thrilled with the switch.
There are pros and cons of the move. Nike is viewed as a stronger, more recognizable name in college football and sports in general. That was something pointed out by unhappy Vols players.
But while the brand has fewer college football partnerships, it can offer both a pay increase and an ability to put a spotlight on specific teams and players.
Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, for example, earned individual attention in online advertising campaign last year.
There are certainly positives to making the switch despite the 30-year relationship between Penn State and Nike. Most notable is that $300 million value.
An emphasis on “prioritizing high-impact NIL agreements and brand marketing campaigns” was cited in reasoning for the transition.
This weekend, it was out with the old and in with the new. The swoosh will soon be replaced by the stripes. Fans able to attend the fire sale were the beneficiaries.