Nebraska’s decision to dump Converse for Adidas as its apparel sponsor was a bold one at the time in 1995.
The German sports apparel company was making its first foray into college athletics — and landing a deal with Nebraska was as big as it gets. Since then, Adidas’ fortunes within the collegiate space have ebbed and flowed. Notre Dame, UCLA and Tennessee were three of the other marquee brands that partnered with Adidas later in the 1990s; all three have since moved to a new apparel sponsor.
Even amid decades of change and rising profits, the Nebraska Athletic Department’s partnership has persisted.