Meghan Manley ’16: EA has recently signed on to its second three-year contract with Nike and Kelly Sports, supplying EA Athletes with their uniforms and apparels. Michael Herron, Equipment Manager, stated, “We have a 3 year contract with Nike and we use Kelly Sports as a go-between to get Nike gear instead of us dealing directly with Nike.”
This arrangement allows EA to receive significant discounts on uniforms and apparel, estimated at a discount of 40% off. Before Nike, all EA sports had different providers, ranging from Adidas to Reebok. Using Nike through Kelly Sports allows for a quicker and more unvarying experience. Kelly Sports and Nike are not only closer in price but also closer in distance, as opposed to prior providers, located in Wisconsin.
In addition to the discounted prices, Nike apparel is also durable and provides teams with long lasting wear throughout all of the rigorous sports seasons. Celeste Sweeney, Head Coach of the Girls Soccer Team, said, “They hold up pretty well. We get new uniforms every three years, so for those years, they hold up pretty well.” After a hefty schedule and numerous games, the uniforms last for Varsity athletes and continue to be used by the Junior Varsity squads in the years to follow.
Photo Courtesy of Samantha Ciardi ’15
For athletes, the views on the uniform and gear vary. Matt Blommer ‘16, member of the Golf team, said, “I think the Nike uniforms and team gear are great. Kelly Sports does a great jobs customizing them and keeping the gear affordable. Due to our long standing relationship with Nike and the quality of their gear, I don’t think we should change anything.” Aaron Kim ’15, Co-Captain of the Cross Country team, added, “Nike uniforms are comfortable and they look good. Also they come in many different styles so you can vary the look year to year.” However, Sam Pope ‘15 said “I have wondered if using all Nike for everything athletic is a little bit too much, but it’s good gear so I have no reason to complain.” For Claudia Becker ’16, member of Varsity Girls Soccer, “The clothing is a little bit repetitive, so I think that maybe the styles could be switched up as well as provide a range of sizes for the gear you buy online. But other than that, in my last two years playing EA sports I think the uniforms and gear have been great.” Overall, most EA Athletes and coaches appear to be satisfied with the Nike gear.
At the end of the 2016 school year, EA hopes to continue this contract with Nike and Kelly Sports. However, Herron mentioned, “If other deals arise which offer better benefits, EA will have to consider all of the options.”