Penn State made national headlines a week ago after signing a 10-year apparel deal with Adidas starting in 2026, leaving Nike for the first time since 1993. The Nittany Lions signed with Nike as Joe Paterno and CEO and founder Phil Knight became close friends in the late 1980s. As a result, the pair created one of college football’s and one of sports’ most recognized brands.

Yet, with the name of the game of college football now majorly focused on NIL, Penn State switched over to Adidas. Adidas will supply footwear, uniforms, and apparel for the Nittany Lions as part of the 10-year deal.

Adidas already made multiple investments in other big-name college football programs. The German company snagged Tennessee back from Nike in early August. Other Big Ten teams signed to Adidas include Rutgers and Indiana.

“This agreement sets a new industry standard, fueling championship performances, empowering our student-athletes to grow their personal brands, and creating unmatched platforms for them to shine on the national and global stage. Together, we’re building something that will transform what’s possible for Penn State Athletics and for every student-athlete who wears the Blue & White,” Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft said in a statement.

The move has polarized the Penn State community, to say the least. Some see dollar signs, others see a departure from tradition. Two of our staffers debated whether or not they agree with and support the Adidas deal for Penn State.

Oscar Orellana: Adidas Is The Way To Go

Nobody likes being the little brother.

That’s exactly what Penn State is at Nike. The company has so much stock and attention centered towards Oregon, which is understandable. But when push comes to shove, Penn State wants to expand its reach and brand to heights that have never been reached before. The school and program is obviously one of the most recognizable brands in college football, but what good does that do if its own supplier doesn’t think of it as the top of the pack?

Adidas is providing Penn State with unprecedented NIL opportunities and an automatic spot to the front of the line in the college football sphere. Penn State football is a team with national championship aspirations, folks, and there’s no way to achieve that objective without money in today’s day and age. NIL is a necessity and is now the lifeline of a college football program.

Penn State immediately is the poster child for Adidas, and with that comes so many possibilities from a financial standpoint. Everybody wants to win, and who can be mad at the university administration for seizing the opportunity and winning representation with one of the world’s top brands?

On top of the financial aspect, superstars and world icons are signed to Adidas. Arguably the greatest soccer player of all time Lionel Messi and arguably the best current football player Patrick Mahomes are both signed to Adidas. Getting Penn State in the ranks and associated with a brand that represents greatness across the board is a huge plus to this deal. It’s time for Penn State to take the reigns of its own destiny and truly rule what it wants without being an afterthought.

However, I will concede that I didn’t have a connection with Penn State as a school or as a football program before becoming a student. I don’t feel any sort of attachment to the traditional way of things around State College and the program’s representation across the country. I just think this will propel Penn State to a new level and take a step that’s necessary to take if the program is serious about its drive to win.

CJ Gill: Where Does Penn State Draw The NIL Line?

It’s understandable for fans to be skeptical of the Penn State Athletics-Adidas deal post its official announcement last Friday. I am one of those fans who is skeptical with the incoming change away from Nike. The reported money Adidas is throwing at Penn State is a lot! It’s an insane amount of cash heading toward Happy Valley, but Tennessee said the same thing last month when they announced their signing with Adidas. Who is to say this will stay as the largest brand deal in college athletics for very long. Adidas could be eyeing other big names in the college world, and Penn State might end up where they were with Nike, and that’s in the middle of the pack. It’s probably true that Nike was not giving Penn State what it deserved, but after over 30 years with Nike, Penn State Athletics is entering a partnership with a partner is knows very little about, and what Adidas’ goals are in the college space.

Money aside and a straight comparison of Nike to Adidas, Nike clears and its not particular close. From an apparel and equipment standpoint Nike is lightyears ahead of Adidas in most peoples opinions. After the report came out of the pending switch to Adidas, many current Penn State athletes took to social media to voice their displeasure with the change. Most athletes prefer Nike, not only its style but some say its much safer to be wearing Nike gear compared to Adidas gear. That’s a big deal and player safety is something that can’t be overlooked despite the large check. Its unclear how the switch away from Phil Knight’s nike will impact current and future athletes in their decision to wear the blue and white, but in an era where margins matter, it could be a serious factor.

In this new era of college sports, its important to find a leg up on your competition wherever you can, I won’t deny that fact. And Pat Kraft and Penn State has made a lot of changes in recent years to earn some extra cash, with this deal, selling the naming rights to iconic Beaver Stadium to adding on field sponsors at football games. There has been a lot and I think to a degree its needed. But my question is where is the line? When does Penn State say no, tradition and history is more important because at the end of the day that’s still the biggest appeal to what makes Penn State great. At first I really hated this deal with Adidas, because when you think Penn State you see Nike and the combination of the iconic swoosh and Penn State’s perfect jersey. I don’t hate it a week later but I still have a lot of questions if this was the right move.