A month after Adidas announced a partnership with Texas Tech University, the alma mater of NFL star Patrick Mahomes, the Three Stripes has signed six student-athletes from the school to name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.
The athletes Adidas signed to comprise the inaugural cohort of Team Mahomes include Micah Hudson (football), NiJaree Canady (softball), Jasmine Shavers (basketball), Matthew Comegys (golf), Sam Courtright (soccer) and TJ Pompey (baseball).
Adidas said in a statement that the student-athletes will participate in brand marketing campaigns, including those for Mahomes’ signature shoe and apparel line.
“The energy around this partnership has been incredible, and this announcement shows just how important this is to me, Adidas and Texas Tech,” Mahomes said in a statement. “Adidas has been a collaborative partner from the start, and we worked together to select athletes who are among the best and embody the drive and dedication we’re looking for in a Team Mahomes athlete. We’ve got a lot of great stuff coming up for the Red Raiders — stay tuned for more.”
What’s more, Adidas said Mahomes has made a donation to Texas Tech Athletics to help finalize its “largest facility investment in school history,” the south end zone and Womble Football Center project.
“The creation of Team Mahomes further positions Texas Tech Athletics as a national leader in NIL. This wouldn’t be possible without a tremendous partner in Adidas that believes strongly in investing in our student-athletes under the Patrick Mahomes brand,” Texas Tech University director of athletics Kirby Hocutt said in a statement. “In this era of sports, there aren’t many generational athletes like Patrick Mahomes who promote their alma mater so proudly and give back in such a meaningful manner.”
In July, Adidas announced that has become the official footwear, uniform, apparel and accessory partner of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and that the partnership is for 10 years. Fans can now purchase select licensed Texas Tech apparel via Adidas.com/texas_tech, as well as at local retailers and online retail partners.
“Our partnership with Texas Tech, which we announced just a few weeks ago, continues to grow and evolve, and our goal is to make it one of the strongest and most visible in all of college sports,” Adidas vice president of sports marketing Chris McGuire said in a statement. “Our belief is that long-term equity in sport starts with investment, which is why we’re proud to have worked with Patrick in welcoming such an incredible group of student-athletes to the three stripes family.”
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
