Matthew DeFranks On a day where the Irish answered a short-term apparel question, revealing their special green uniforms for the Sept. 23 football game against Ohio State, Notre Dame answered a long-term one as well.
While Irish athletics were set to enter the final year of a 10-year pact with Under Armour inked back in 2014, the 2023-24 year will instead serve as a bridge year between contracts for the Irish and Under Armour. The two sides are reportedly in agreement on another 10-year contract that “puts the Irish at the top of college sports with a price tag of more than $10 million annually in cash and gear,” according to Yahoo Sports.
The Irish remain one of the most iconic brands in college sports, so it is a victory for Under Armour to continue the partnership, especially since the brand has ended deals with other high-profile schools such as UCLA in recent years.
Whether or not the move is as popular among fans is less certain. In a poll of more than 600 people conducted by NDTV earlier in July, 91.7% of respondents preferred Nike to Under Armour. Additionally, 83.5% said they would be more likely to buy gear if Nike was the sponsor. More than 20 current Irish athletes across multiple sports were anonymously polled and 95.5% said they preferred Nike to Under Armour. Several of them cited complaints with Under Armour gear not being durable or as high quality as competitors.
While reviews have been mixed on some of the special jerseys the Irish have unveiled throughout the years, and some pine for the days of the “truly” gold pants to return, the regular uniforms used by the Irish in many sports, including football, basketball and hockey, remain popular. Before Under Armour, the Irish had been outfitted by Adidas since 1997.
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