TO WEAR NOW
‘People have expectations about what each uniform is going to be and WHAT
In 2014, with the introduction of the College Football
— the system that decides the national champion
sometimes that excitement can generate disappointment if you let it.’ Playoff
for the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision —
— KENNY FARR, OREGON FOOTBALL EQUIPMENT ADMINISTRATOR
In the glistening Pasadena sun, the Ducks went on to
defeat Wisconsin and earned their first Rose Bowl victory
since 1917. Though still not a national title, the win was a
huge leap forward for UO.
THE COST OF WINNING
In 2003, the UO signed a seven-year apparel deal with
Nike. When that contract expired in 2010, the UO extended
it until 2018, a move worth $22.7 million.
An uncensored copy of the contract was released to The
Oregonian under order from the state attorney general in
response to a public records request. The deal includes $2.5
million worth of gear per year as well as $750,000 in cash
and $200,000 in “extra gear.”
This is trumped by Michigan’s contract with Adidas,
which is valued at $60 million over eight years — or $6
million per year in cash and products combined. Nike pays
University of Texas $5.76 million per year, more than twice
the amount given to the Ducks.
But with help from Nike founder Phil Knight, change
at the UO was not limited to uniforms. Between 1996
and today, Knight has reportedly contributed several
hundred millions of dollars in donations to the UO athletic
department. And after the UO announced a fundraising
goal of $2 billion on Oct. 17, more money is on the way.
Knight has signed off as the principal donor for a laundry
list of projects including $90 million in renovations to the
football stadium, $10 million for the Athletic Medicine Cen-
ter, $227 million for the new Matthew Knight Arena and $68
million for the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex football operation
center. Knight also donated to the John E. Jaqua Center for
Student Athletes that reportedly cost $41.7 million. That’s in
addition to the $15 million to build the Moshofsky Center.
Since the center’s opening in 1998, the Ducks have won 10
bowl games — only missing postseason play in 2004.
“There might be kids internationally or on the other side
of the country that might not be able to point out Oregon
on the map,” Farr says. “But they know Oregon because of
flashy uniforms.”
That was certainly the case for star running back
LaMichael James, who famously told the Columbus
Dispatch before the 2010 Rose Bowl that the uniforms “get
people’s attention” and that he “loved the uniforms” before
he got to know more about Oregon’s offense.
James, a recruit from Texas, went on to become a
Heisman Trophy finalist while at the UO. Following a loss
in the Rose Bowl, under his leadership the Ducks went
undefeated in 2010, earning a trip to the 2011 National
Championship for the first time in program history.
The Ducks lost that game and they are still searching
for their first title. But the team received even more
international attention for their uniforms, which this time
included “volt” yellow socks, Nike Zoom Alpha Talon
cleats and “Win The Day” letters running down the middle
of the carbon-fiber helmet.
Oregon was a preseason favorite to make the cut as one of
the final four teams.
UO won its first game in convincing fashion, 62-13, vs.
South Dakota State. Oregon defied traditional color codes
and wore white at home with a white helmet, a “Mach
Speed” white jersey, green apple pants and cleats with
white gloves and socks.
In their next game versus Michigan State, with ESPN
College GameDay in town and as the game broadcasted
on national television, the Ducks wore a “Sonic Boom”
helmet, silver and yellow gloves along with a yellow jersey,
pants, socks and cleats. Oregon won the game, 46-27,
against the reigning Rose Bowl champions. UO went on
to debut a black “Mach Speed” uniform versus Washington
State during a narrow victory on the road. Oregon reprised
its 2013 efforts to raise awareness for breast cancer and the
Kay Yow Foundation this season, but the team diminished
championship hopes after losing to Arizona on Oct. 2 while
wearing pink uniforms at home.
Now that the Ducks uniforms have been in the national
spotlight for a few years, it would be easy to assume
challenges in finding new design combinations. But for
inspiration about what to do next, Van Horne simply plans
to touch base with the Oregon players.
“Players aren’t bound by anything,” Van Horne says.
“They want to set the stage of the next great thing at this
university.”
“I think more importantly than the uniforms, if you’re
winning games, our fans are happy with whatever we’re
wearing,” Farr says.
The jury is still out about whether this season will be
remembered as the year the Oregon Ducks win their first
national championship. With Mariota on the field, it’s
certainly possible, regardless of what he’s wearing. ■
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