Russell Corporation Signs Agreements with SWAC and SIAC
May 4, 2004
Atlanta - Russell Corporation has announced that it has signed agreements with
two Historically Black College Conferences that will serve as the basis for
the first-of-its-kind alliance with the schools represented. The company will
supply
athletic
apparel, team uniforms, balls and sports equipment for the Southwestern Athletic
Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at no cost.
In the past, schools purchased all of their own products. Russell will also
have exclusive licenses for the logos of the schools in both conferences.
Beginning with this fall¹s football season, the SWAC and SIAC will grant
a five-year exclusive license to Russell to manufacture and sell the merchandise
of the schools within the conferences. As part of the agreement, Russell will
provide the conferences with royalties on the sales of apparel licensed through
the institutions.
"These agreements expand our opportunities beyond the team uniform business," said
Jon Letzler, Russell Corporation president and COO. "By including our
Russell Athletic, JERZEES, Moving Comfort, Bike and Spalding brands, we will
have increased brand awareness and sales opportunities from the playing fields
to the college bookstores."
"We are very proud of our new relationship with these institutions and
believe this is a true win-win situation," Letzler added. "These
agreements are an excellent example of the financial growth that can be generated
when management leverages diversity,"
Athletic programs included in the agreement are men's and women's basketball
and soccer, football, baseball, softball and volleyball.
Kevin Clayton, vice president of diversity for Russell, worked with the two
conferences and New Vision Sports Properties to create what is considered an
unprecendented agreement between a major athletic company and Historically
Black Colleges and Universities.
"New Vision Sports has created an opportunity for the conferences to
leverage our visibility in a way that will greatly improve our athletic programs," says
SWAC Commissioner Robert Vowels. "The SWAC is proud to be involved in
such a historic partnership.²
"This unprecedented association we have formed with Russell marks a
major step forward for our sports programs," says SIAC Commissioner Dr.
William Lide. "Significant
new dollars will reach our athletic programs through this agreement. This allows
us to take more control over what products we present to consumers. It also
opens new doors for Russell and its products."
The SIAC and SWAC are comprised of 21 institutions of higher learning that
have been in existence for over 100 years. The inclusion of SIAC provisionary
member Stillman College increases the number of participating institutions
to 22.
Beginning with this fall¹s football season, the SWAC and SIAC will grant
a five-year exclusive license to Russell to manufacture and sell the merchandise
of the schools within the conferences. As part of the agreement, Russell will
provide the conferences with royalties on the sales of apparel licensed through
the institutions. 