Tennessee donates old Nike gear to local Division II program, per report
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As programs attempt to keep up in the race to boast the best uniforms and overall resources, many are willing to frequently shift gears in order to stay ahead of the curve.
Tennessee, albeit a tradition-rich school, is one of such programs, as the Volunteers are set to don Adidas attire for the first time since the 2014-2015 academic year this fall. The school had been aligned with Nike since 2015, but upon that deal expiring, UT went looking for other suitors and opted for an old partnership.
But when changes like this occur, what is not often thought about is what happens to the old clothing, equipment and other gear that bears the ‘swoosh’ logo.
Many programs opt to donate their discarded supplies to youth organizations or local schools, but Tennessee perhaps found the most effective use for its old attire: Donating nearly all of it to a college program in need.
Carson-Newman University is located roughly 30 minutes northeast of Knoxville amongst the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and the Division II Eagles are used to wearing orange alongside their navy and white coloring.
But they aren’t usually seen sporting the bright jerseys of their SEC neighbors, and WATE 6’s Casey Kay documented what Carson-Newman looked like while sporting the Vols’ attire during fall camp.
The Eagles are likely thrilled to have some high-quality gear to work with in camp as they gear up for their season-opener against Tiffin on Thursday, Aug. 27.
Meanwhile, UT fans will eagerly await their chance to see the Vols rocking Adidas when they take to the field Saturday, Sept. 5 against Furman.
Parker is currently the sports editor for Gulf Coast Media in Foley, Alabama. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
