David Kleppinger, chair of the Penn State Board of Trustees, and Rick Sokolov, vice chair of the Penn State Board of Trustees issued this statement today in response to rumors and misinformation circulating about the recently announced partnership between Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics and adidas.
The groundbreaking partnership between the Nittany Lions and adidas is an exceptional one for Penn State, and it will elevate the student-athlete experience at Penn State over the next decade.
The decision to secure adidas as the official footwear, uniform, apparel and sideline partner for the Nittany Lions was made because of the transformational nature of the 10-year partnership. It is the best financial and overall partnership for Penn State. Recently circulating rumors suggesting anything else are simply false.
The process of negotiating and securing this deal was handled professionally by the Penn State administration, and in keeping with all of our standards. It was conducted rigorously, with a value-driven review of competing proposals. The Board of Trustees does not currently vote to approve apparel, beverage, multimedia or similar commercial agreements, however, University trustees were provided summaries of the competing proposals prior to the final agreement.
Finally, any suggestion about personal benefits for Intercollegiate Athletics executives is patently false. Pat Kraft, vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics, and his team maintain close working relationships with executives at all major suppliers — official partners and their direct competitors — as a fundamental responsibility of their position. That is their job. Any suggestion to the contrary is reprehensible.
Board leadership, the University president, and the athletics director are unequivocally aligned on both the approach taken and the outcome reached. Penn State is entering this partnership from a position of strength, and it reflects the best overall outcome for our student-athletes, our fans and the long-term strength of Penn State Athletics.