Penn State’s adidas Era Starts Now

For 33 years, Penn State was a Nike school. The Swoosh was there for all the ups and downs of the school’s athletic program, but all good things must come to an end. It was announced last year that adidas would be the new sponsor for Penn State’s athletic programs, and today, July 1, marks the start of a new era for the school with Three Stripes adorning their unis. The deal between adidas and Penn State is set for 10 years with a reported value of $300 million.

Penn State’s New adidas Uniforms and Apparel

Of course, with Three Stripes now linked to the Nittany Lions, all the fan gear and performance apparel for athletes will feature adidas branding. The uniforms remain largely untouched aside from the addition of Three Stripes and the removal of Swooshes.

We were able to get a first look at some of the gear thanks to football stars Tony Rojas, Max Granville, and Luke Lilledahl, but users online have posted first looks at what fans can cop at the bookstore on campus.

Included are visors, jackets, hoodies, T-shirts, zip-ups, and more, all containing Penn State logos and Three Stripe designs. One shirt uses a gothic font for the “Penn State” text on the chest, with the adidas Three Stripes design resting front and center below the neckline. It’s pretty clear on all of the apparel items that adidas is the new sponsor, as its logo is prominently featured throughout the collection.

Penn State’s History with Nike

Being together for 33 years means the relationship between Penn State and Nike ran deep. While the school hasn’t captured a national championship during the Nike era, that didn’t stop The Swoosh from going above and beyond for the school. The late Joe Paterno famously wore the Nike Air Command Force on the sidelines, and although Nike stopped producing the shoe in the ‘90s, they hand-made 6 pairs for the Lions’ coach since he was such a big fan.

There were even plans to potentially rename the shoe the Nike JoePa, but he shot down the idea. Later, the shoe would come back in the 2000s, but Nike stopped producing the specific colorway Joe loved. The equipment manager for Penn State would paint the shoe to recreate the colorway that JoePa rocked every Saturday.

The Paterno x Nike relationship dates back even farther, as in the ‘70s, before an official deal was struck with Penn State and Nike, Joe was rubbing shoulders with Nike and attending retreats with top brass at The Swoosh. He built a friendship with Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who attended weddings in the Paterno family and donated money to the Paterno Library. Reportedly, after the passing of Bill Bowerman, the other co-founder of Nike, Knight told Paterno, “I need a hero, and you’re it.”

What’s Next for Penn State x adidas?

We’re less than 12 hours into the Penn State x adidas partnership officially kicking off, but there is much work to be done if The Three Stripes wants to build a lasting relationship with the legendary athletic program. Who knows whether the leadership at Penn State will bond with adidas as much as JoePa and Phil Knight did? No one will be able to replace Paterno, and in the eyes of many Penn State fans, no one will be able to replace The Swoosh that adorned their uniforms for 33 years.

Expect to see plenty of apparel from The Three Stripes and Penn State hit the bookstore on campus, online at retailers, and of course, available directly from adidas. For updates on the latest releases happening in the streetwear and footwear world, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.

Nicholas Vlahos

Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy watching films and discovering music. Follow me on Letterboxd @nickvlah For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com