*By Michael Teich* The College Football Playoff hasn't even kicked off, but Under Armour is already a winner. For the first time since the final four-structured championship began in 2014, a non-Nike brand is sponsoring one of the teams that made the playoffs. This year, that team is Notre Dame and Under Armour is the sponsor. Under Armour may have stolen a final four sponsorship from Nike, but Nike still has a strong grip on the sport at the college level. Following the selection made by the College Football Playoff committee on Sunday, 19 of the 20 teams that have made the college football playoff since it began in 2014 have featured the Nike swoosh on their jerseys. Unless there is a power shift, it does not appear that Nike's reign will come to an end anytime soon, as familiar names continue to dominate the championship. Alabama has been in all five playoffs, Clemson has been selected for four in a row, and Oklahoma has made its way into the top four three times. Beyond Notre Dame, which switched from Adidas to Under Armour in 2014, no other non-Nike branded team was close to being selected for the playoff. Out of the top 25 ranked teams, 21 were sponsored by Nike ($NKE), two by Under Armour ($UAA), and two by Adidas ($ADDYY). The highest-ranked non-Nike school was Utah, which was rated the 17th best team in the nation. Nike dominance is not limited to college football. The sports retailer had its logo emblazoned on the jerseys of three of four teams in college basketball's 2018 final four, and is the sponsor of eight of the last 10 champions. Nike also scored big during the 2018 World Cup when both France and Croatia entered the championship wearing the swoosh.

Share:
More In Business
Nestlé dismisses CEO after he has relationship with a subordinate
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz undoes blockbuster merger after a decade of falling sales
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
Load More