Tennessee planning week-long rollout of new adidas uniforms for Vols, Lady Vols

Tennessee athletics will officially switch to adidas as its new apparel partner on July 2, the Vols and Lady Vols will unveil new jerseys in the days that follow and fans can begin buying merchandise on July 10. 

That’s all according to Mike Keith, who detailed the switch on The Mike Keith Show on Thursday.

“I want to tell you a couple things about adidas, just to make sure everybody watching, listening, streaming, whatever you’re doing, that you know,” Keith said. “Tennessee is switching to adidas as every Vol fan knows. The official switch date is July 2nd. When you can will be able to buy adidas merchandise at retail is July 10th. 

“So July 2nd is the switch, July 10th is when you’ll be able to buy the merch.”

Tennessee will have a media shoot later this month to prepare materials for the unveiling of the uniform switch in July. 

Keith confirmed that the all-black ‘Dark Mode’ alternate uniform will continue with adidas and Andy Brock, a social content specialist for Tennessee, said throwback uniforms could be on the way. The Vols and Lady Vols last wore Adidas from 1995-2014.

“You’re probably going to see some throwback stuff from when Tennessee was last wearing adidas,” Brock said. “Obviously some good memories in those jerseys.”

The days following the official switch will include new uniforms being unveiled each day.

“It will roll out that week,” Sarah Detwiler, Tennessee assistant director of VFL Films, said on Thursday’s show. “We will have different days delegated to different jerseys, different colors, different themes. 

“You’ll get all Adidas all week long. And it will be exciting to wake up and see which one they choose that day.”

Tennessee entering 10-year deal with Adidas

It was announced last August that Tennessee was entering a 10-year deal with adidas after spending the previous 10 years with Nike. 

Terms of the adidas contract were not disclosed, but Adidas touted in August that investments in Name, Image and Likeness as being part of the deal.

“The role of a college athletics sideline partner has changed dramatically in the 11 years since we last partnered with Tennessee Athletics,” said Chris McGuire, Adidas Vice President of Sports Marketing, North America. “Adidas is establishing a new standard for investment in NIL with this partnership that will sustain UT’s powerful athletics program as the university continues competing for championships for years to come.”

Tennessee creative team is ‘primary driver’ in uniform design

Tennessee’s creative team, according to the press release in August, remained “the primary driver of uniform design throughout the partnership” with Adidas “will collaborate closely with Tennessee Creative, lending the brand’s design expertise and innovative products to elevate the signature look of the Tennessee Volunteers.”

“From day one of these conversations,” Alicia Longworth, Tennessee’s deputy athletic director and chief marketing officer, said, “Adidas has assured us that the existing design ethos of Tennessee Athletics is critically important to their ambitions for our brand.

“We see immense potential in leveraging Adidas’ legacy in culture and sport to further enhance the work of collegiate athletics’ most talented creative team.”