The first day of July was one of fanfare in Auburn. Goodbye, Under Armour. Hello, Nike.

Announced April 9, 2024, Alabama’s archrival would be swapping apparel and footwear partners for the first time in 20 years. Fans lined up to be the first owners of Tiger-branded swoosh gear not seen since the early 2000s.

That July 1, 2025 date was significant in Tuscaloosa, too. That was the end date of the most recently disclosed contract between Nike and the University of Alabama athletics department. That extension, signed in 2013 , ran through June 30, 2025, according to the contract obtained by AL.com in 2018.

That date came and went. And while Auburn celebrated its new deal with Nike, crickets in Tuscaloosa.

Why?

Like it did in 2013, Alabama’s contract extension with Nike was done witho

See Full Page