The cost of NCAA college athletics keeps rising and it is leading to programs being squeezed by the biggest brands. For example, Nike is reportedly considering a move to pull out of a multi-million dollar deal with Hawaii after the abrupt firing of AD Craig Angelos according to Mountain West insider Mike Wittmann.
“Following the abrupt removal of Hawaii AD Craig Angelos,” Wittmann began, “Nike & BSN Sports are seriously considering pulling out of apparel deals, per sources familiar with the situation.”
Wittmann elaborated on just how dire the situation is in Honolulu.
“This directly stems from Hawaii seeking new leadership, as Angelos was a vital proponent of the deal,” Wittmann noted. “How close were the deals? According to an apparel source, the contracts have been in the possession of Hawaii University Administration for weeks, but they haven’t moved on them.”
Nike’s motto of ‘Just Do It’ does not apply to administrative duties in this case. The progress Angelos was apparently making on the most hard-to-reach campus in the NCAA system is now stalled in a significant way. Unfortunately, it was an unforced error as Hawaii’s brain trust parted ways with the Athletic Director after less than two full years on the job.
“This is a confidential personnel matter,” stated the press release. “The University of Hawaii confirms that Mr. Angelos’ final day as the UH Mānoa athletic director is December 1. Effective December 2, Associate Athletic Director Lois Manin will serve as the acting athletic director. An announcement about a future search will be made by incoming UH President Wendy Hensel after the new year.”
The decision apparently did not sit right with donors, fans, students, or what was supposed to be the University’s next apparel supplier. Hawaii’s biggest booster is pulling all funding until further notice, for example.
Hawaii’s top booster, Mike Kawazoe—head of the Rainbow Warriors NIL Collective—announces he’s pulling all funding effective immediately following controversial firing of AD Craig Angelos after only 18 months by the outgoing university president: https://t.co/qSZq1lC1Lt pic.twitter.com/iMonOn9Jbr
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 20, 2024
Angelos never saw the coup coming, and Nike now has cold feet.
“I was completely blindsided when I learned of the outgoing President’s decision to part ways,” Angelos stated. “When I asked for the reason, he cited my performance—a response that absolutely shocked me because I thought things had been going pretty well for our athletics department.
“In a short amount of time, I believe we accomplished so much,” Angelos continued, “Like creating new revenue streams, hiring a ticket sales team, revamping fundraising efforts, focusing on NIL initiatives, navigating the effects of the NCAA House settlement, securing a place in the Mountain West Conference while eliminating travel subsidies, arranging charter flights for the football team, negotiating a record-breaking apparel deal, developing a facilities master plan, collaborating with the stadium authority on the new Aloha Stadium project, and balancing the budget for the past two years. There is still much more to be done, but I thought we were on the right track.”
Whatever the future looks like post-Angelos, it may not be suited up in Nike gear until the paperwork issues are settled.
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