The University of Miami is heading back to Nike on a deal that lands among the biggest apparel agreements college sports has ever seen.
The Hurricanes have agreed to a 10-year contract worth more than $200 million, with the new partnership set to begin with the 2027 football season. The package comes in at a little over $20 million annually, with roughly two-thirds of that total paid in cash - about $13 million - and the rest delivered through apparel.
Adidas had the chance to keep Miami after holding the right to match Nike’s terms by a Tuesday deadline, and it made a counteroffer. But it did not match the exact structure Nike put on the table.
Miami has been with Adidas since 2015 on a 12-year deal that pays a reported $6.5 million per year and runs through next June. That contract was worth more than $90 million overall and, at the time it was signed, stood as the longest Adidas had ever agreed to with a college program. The new Nike deal more than triples the annual cash flow into Coral Gables.
Outside of Nike’s special arrangement with Oregon, where the company is headquartered, Miami’s annual payout is believed to be the largest Nike has ever given a college program.
The extra money is expected to help cover athletic department expenses, NIL support and possibly an on-campus football office building that is still in the early planning stages. Miami is clearly betting on the momentum of its recent football and basketball success as it looks to build a stronger future.
This isn’t new territory for the Hurricanes. Miami first signed with Nike in 1987 and became the first university to place every sport under one apparel brand.
That partnership lasted through 2015 and covered four of the program’s five national championships. Adidas then took over for the next 11 seasons, and will continue outfitting Miami through the rest of the 2026 college football year.
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Miami Heads Into Wake Forest With A Depth Problem Fans Feared
Miamis first ACC availability report for the Wake Forest game arrived with a familiar kind of concern for Mario Cristobals defense, as four Hurricanes were listed out because of injuries. Cornerbacks OJ Frederique Jr. and Xavier Lucas, defensive back JaBoree Antoine and tight end Luka Gilbert all landed on the report, leaving Miami to sort through its depth chart with a road trip looming and a few key spots suddenly thinner than expected.
Cristobal offered injury details and recovery timelines for the injured players, but the bigger immediate question is how Miami adjusts on the back end if it has to go without multiple defensive backs. Wake Forest, meanwhile, appears set to go with Gio Lopez, who is listed as probable and expected to start, so the Hurricanes are heading into the matchup knowing the opposing offense should have its quarterback situation settled while theirs carries a little more uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Herbstreit Said What Miami Fans Were Already Thinking
Miami fans did not need much convincing that a move away from Adidas would be welcomed, but Kirk Herbstreit went ahead and said the quiet part out loud. The ESPN analyst publicly reacted to Miamis reported $200 million deal with Nike, celebrating the switch in a way that matched the frustration plenty of Hurricanes supporters had already been feeling about the programs look on Saturdays.
Herbstreit had already made his feelings known about Miamis Adidas uniforms, and his latest reaction only added to the sense that the apparel change was overdue. With his platform on ESPN and College GameDay, his voice carries plenty of weight, and the enthusiasm around the new Nike era is now part of the broader buzz surrounding Miami as it keeps trying to sharpen its brand on and off the field. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Fans Just Got An Early Look At A Challenging 2027 ACC Slate
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One date stands out right away: Wake Forest is set for Friday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, giving Miami another primetime spot on a night stage. Cristobal has already talked about the teams preparation and practice schedule, a reminder that even with the calendar still well ahead, the Hurricanes are thinking about how to manage the work required for a schedule that does not look forgiving from the start. [Read more 🡒]