SEC program reported to end Under Armour deal for Nike

Nike is reportedly taking over as apparel provider for the SEC's South Carolina Gamecocks beginning in 2026.

Under Armour and South Carolina, which have been partnered since 2007, are in the midst of the final year of a 10-year deal, which features a clause that gives the Gamecocks the freedom to look elsewhere if mutually agreed upon.

After signing the current $71.5 million deal with Under Armour, South Carolina said it was the seco nd-largest in the SEC and the seventh most-valuable in the country.

According to a report from The Post and Courier, Under Armour and South Carolina elected to part ways, opening the door for a different apparel brand to make their pitch. A new deal with Nike is expected to be announced on Friday and financial terms have yet to be revealed.

South Carolina's move from Under Armour to Nike comes on the heels of a similar situation at Auburn, which had been partnered with Under Armour for 18 years before switching to Nike in July. The Gamecocks are, for at least the next year, the final SEC program outfitted by Under Armour.

Elsewhere in the conference, Tennessee will move back to adidas after an 11-year deal with Nike. That new deal, beginning in 2026, is expected to award the Volunteers around $10 million annually over 10 years.

The Tennessee-adidas agreement includes a significant NIL aspect, in which student athletes can sign deals with the major apparel brand as a third-party agreement. That would add NIL opportunties for a plethora of Tennessee athletes on top of what they will receive directly from the school in the revenue-share model.

It's not clear if South Carolina and Nike have established something similar, but it wouldn't be a surprise given the concerns around funding and the bar set by Tennessee and adidas.