Russell Athletic Returning to the Uniform Game

[johnnysama 717]

https://www.asicentral.com/news/newsletters/promogram/june-2018/augusta-sportswear-partners-with-russell-athletic/ - Russell Athletic, which withdrew from the uniform manufacturing business late last year, is returning to that sphere, thanks to a partnership with Augusta Sportswear.

 

It's good to have Russell back in the uniform-making business.

 

 

[orangefaniniowa 209]

No it's not.  It's not good, they just need to stay away from making more sports uniforms.  No school (college, high school, etc.) wants to go back to that route.

[MJWalker45 3,703]

Having less expensive options for Division II, III and high school is a good thing. They need to up their design game though. 

[Tracy MidGrady 347]

If they're coming back with those old designs, no thanks

[Cardsblues02 659]

This will be good for D3 teams and some high schools. I hope my school doesn’t switch to Russell. We just signed with Nike! 

[DIYsportsguy 30]

I doubt they’ll be really going after many colleges or major high schools. This will largely be good for the smaller high schools and travel teams who want high quality without the UA or Nike price tag. As an Augusta dealer, I’m thrilled.

[tigers 283]

Man they were bad.

Hopefully they can be at least bearable.

[orangefaniniowa 209]

I rather prefer Champion Athletic make a comeback instead of Russell.  Champion made great uniforms and were the sports apparel king before the Nikes and Adidases took over.

[MJWalker45 3,703]

2 hours ago, orangefaniniowa said:

I rather prefer Champion Athletic make a comeback instead of Russell.  Champion made great uniforms and were the sports apparel king before the Nikes and Adidases took over.

Apparently they still make uniforms, just not at the college and pro level. I remember the high school thread had a team wearing Champion football uniforms. 

[BringBackTheVet 11,848]

21 hours ago, Cardsblues02 said:

This will be good for D3 teams and some high schools. I hope my school doesn’t switch to Russell. We just signed with Nike! 

 

what does this mean?  Did your team sign a contract for NIke to provide them with uniforms and equipment or cash?

[TenaciousG 280]

On 6/7/2018 at 9:15 AM, orangefaniniowa said:

No it's not.  It's not good, they just need to stay away from making more sports uniforms.  No school (college, high school, etc.) wants to go back to that route.

 

More competition is always bad. We need to cut out everyone else and have Nike make every school look like Minnesota 

[Cardsblues02 659]

3 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

 

what does this mean?  Did your team sign a contract for NIke to provide them with uniforms and equipment or cash?

Nike provides us with uniforms and equipment. My high school has long been one of those schools that has a ton of miss matched uniforms. For example, I play on the baseball team. Our home and alternate uniforms were provided by Adidas, but Rawlings made our away unifroms. 

 

Now, all Varsity sports get new Nike unifroms. Also, we get new nike equipment (workout clothes, team apparel, bats and helmets, shoes).

[johnnysama 717]

10 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

Apparently they still make uniforms, just not at the college and pro level. I remember the high school thread had a team wearing Champion football uniforms. 

I did mention Champion Athletic in a thread a few months back called "Do You Remember Champion Athletic?" that pointed out that they still made team uniforms.

[BringBackTheVet 11,848]

22 hours ago, Cardsblues02 said:

Nike provides us with uniforms and equipment. My high school has long been one of those schools that has a ton of miss matched uniforms. For example, I play on the baseball team. Our home and alternate uniforms were provided by Adidas, but Rawlings made our away unifroms. 

 

Now, all Varsity sports get new Nike unifroms. Also, we get new nike equipment (workout clothes, team apparel, bats and helmets, shoes).

 

So Nike provides for free? What do they get - just that the swoosh is displayed?

[FightingGoldenDevil 1,130]

6 minutes ago, BringBackTheVet said:

 

So Nike provides for free? What do they get - just that the swoosh is displayed?

Not for free. For a discount. My school is signed with UA and it saves a lot of money and actually let's the school be cohesive in apparel

[Cardsblues02 659]

2 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

 

So Nike provides for free? What do they get - just that the swoosh is displayed?

No, but we get it cheap. Not sure how much cheaper, but I do know that we get it at a reduced price.

 

Nike displays the swoosh on all equipment (obviously). We are now technically “sponsored” by Nike so there is a large Nike ad on the outfield wall, there is a sign of basketball games in the gymnasium, ect.

[WavePunter 2,054]

4 hours ago, Cardsblues02 said:

No, but we get it cheap. Not sure how much cheaper, but I do know that we get it at a reduced price.

 

Nike displays the swoosh on all equipment (obviously). We are now technically “sponsored” by Nike so there is a large Nike ad on the outfield wall, there is a sign of basketball games in the gymnasium, ect.

Technically, you are contracted with Nike.. Sponsored teams are provided apparel, equipment, and usually money.. 

These high school contracts  (usually are actually just contracts with BSN) just provide a discount (usually about 40%) on Nike footwear, apparel, and equipment, to make signing an exclusive contract with them more appealing.. Essentially it just means that you get Nike gear at Russell prices, but lose the freedom to float around brand-to-brand.. 

[Cardsblues02 659]

I like Nike gear at a Russell prices.

[BringBackTheVet 11,848]

17 hours ago, FightingGoldenDevil said:

Not for free. For a discount. My school is signed with UA and it saves a lot of money and actually let's the school be cohesive in apparel

 

15 hours ago, Cardsblues02 said:

No, but we get it cheap. Not sure how much cheaper, but I do know that we get it at a reduced price.

 

Nike displays the swoosh on all equipment (obviously). We are now technically “sponsored” by Nike so there is a large Nike ad on the outfield wall, there is a sign of basketball games in the gymnasium, ect.

 

OK, so "signed with Nike" still means you're just buying stuff from them.  You're not really "sponsored for them" - they just are taking advantage of the school so they can advertise everywhere for free (actually they're being paid to advertise), since I guarantee they're not providing the gear at cost.

 

I totally appreciate that a school needs to save money wherever it can - especially poorly-funded schools, so whatever they have to do (within reason) is fine with me.  That being said, most of these "deals" just seem like the kinds really just want the swoosh on their jerseys because it makes them feel big time, though the reality is that Nike doesn't give a F about the program.