The University and Nike unveiled the athletic department’s “rebranded” look after an 18-month collaboration to find the new identity. Since the April 16, 2014 reveal, nearly every varsity team has gotten new uniforms with the rebranded block I and the victory shield.

But the uniforms are not the only things that athletes receive. According to Kent Brown, associate director of athletics for media relations, student-athletes can receive apparel and gear for practice and competition. There is no limit from the NCAA on how much the athletes can receive, but the University’s agreement with Nike has a limit of $1.2 million worth of free apparel it can order for the fiscal year.

The value of apparel for each sport is not equal. Because of the different amounts of equipment needed for different sports, some athletes need more gear than others.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, The Daily Illini obtained the value of apparel each student-athlete receives per sport. The five most expensive sports per student-athlete are the men’s basketball team, women’s basketball team, football team, women’s gymnastics team and men’s golf team. The five teams who received the smallest value of apparel per student athlete are wrestling, men’s track, men’s gymnastics, swimming and soccer, respectively.

Outside of game uniforms, the apparel many of the athletes receive is the same — for example the men’s tennis team and the softball team get the same style Illinois half zip practice top for $35.

The total value of each team’s collective apparel varies depending both on price per student-athlete and on roster size.

The sports with the top-five total value were football, men’s basketball, women’s track, cheerleading and women’s basketball, respectively. The five teams that received the smallest total value of apparel were women’s golf, men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and men’s golf.

The Daily Illini also obtained the 2014 Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act report the University filled out. It is a yearly report that the University must file to the NCAA. Under the “Equipment, Uniforms and Supplies” category of the report, the University spent $372,985 on Nike goods, out of their $1.2 million limit.

According to John Chipman, assistant athletic director for business affairs , all of the Nike apparel reported under this category are items provided to the team, including coaches, student-athletes and any support staff.

Student-athletes are expected to use the apparel during practice, competition and travel. Most of the apparel that the athletes receive is returned, but the apparel that can’t be reused becomes property of the student-athlete once they graduate — for example, football players must return helmets but can keep dri-fit T-shirts.

The coaching staff and members of the athletic department receive apparel based on their roles. Some receive more based on how much time they spend with the team, for example, a person who travels with the teams and needs to represent the University when they are with it will receive more because they must look uniform. Those who receive more than $100 in apparel may be subject to taxation.

Whether on campus or on road trips with the team, members of the Illinois athletic department are always representing their teams. The Illini athletics “brand” is very important to the University, and uniforms and apparel are a big part of that.

The Daily Illini will run Part 3 of this four-part series tomorrow. It will detail Nike apparel value totals for Illinois student-athletes from every varsity sport and how they compare by gender.

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