South Carolina switches to Nike this week. 5 things to know about the change
After the calamity that was the 2025-26 South Carolina athletics season, USC fans sought change. Athletic director Jeremiah Donati delivered.
The Gamecocks’ football team has basically a brand-new offensive coaching staff. The basketball team overhauled 80% of its roster.. The baseball team is already loading up under newly hired head coach Kevin Schnall.
And, on Wednesday, South Carolina will transition to Nike after wearing Under Armour for 19 years.
Here are five things you need to know before the official switch.
1. What were the specifics of the deal?
Not long ago, massive college athletic departments switching apparel brands felt rare. Over the past few years, as schools are clamoring for any way to garner additional revenue in the NIL era, it’s become more common.
On Wednesday alone, five Power 4 schools — Georgia Tech (Adidas to Under Armour), Penn State (Nike to Adidas), Tennessee (Nike to Adidas), Utah (Under Armour to Adidas) and South Carolina — are making the switch. Oddly enough, the Gamecocks are the only one in that group moving to Nike.
Comparing brand deals from school to school can be tricky given that, one, some schools hide the details, and two, the true value of some of these deals can be tricky to calculate, given how many different components the deals include. By all accounts, South Carolina’s deal with Nike is solid.
It’s a 10-year agreement that guarantees South Carolina $70 million in product, $5 million cash, $2.5 million in supplemental products and 15% of net sales on all co-branded South Carolina-Nike gear. If there’s one potential drawback to the Gamecocks’ agreement, it’s the lack of cash — consider that Under Armour gave USC $26.5 million in cash back in 2016.
But the Nike partnership also includes a bevvy of perks and the fact that, well, the Swoosh carries a certain cache.
2. Fans will be able to get merch immediately
Throughout June, local stores have been getting boxes from Nike and organizing them without letting prying eyes get a glance. All that so they’ll be ready to sell it on July 1.
A number of shops — including Gamecock Traditions in Lexington and the Russell House campus store — have promotions where fans can get into the stores early and have the first pick of the new gear. For those who don’t live in Columbia or don’t care to buy Nike-branded USC gear immediately, there will be opportunities to buy online.
Gamecock Traditions, for example, is having its Nike selection go live on its website at 12:01 am. Wednesday. Alternatively, Fanatics is expected to have South Carolina-Nike gear ready for sale on Wednesday, too. Though, it should be known: Because there’s still not a massive inventory of gear, those orders might not be shipped out right away.
3. When will we see the first official jerseys for football, other sports?
Last week, after making his commitment to South Carolina live on a 247 Sports’ YouTube stream, four-star cornerback Kelvin Millington held up a garnet Nike jersey.
Considering that he made the announcement at a Nike camp on Nike’s campus, it’s quite reasonable to believe that he was holding up an authentic Nike South Carolina jersey. But we will find out for sure on Wednesday when it comes time for South Carolina — and other retailers — to actually sell Nike jerseys.
Beyond that, it’s not clear if the jerseys for other sports — MBB, WBB, baseball, softball, etc. — will be available or publicized on Wednesday.
As for a formal unveiling, a university source said the Gamecocks might showcase the new uniforms in social media on Wednesday or potentially wait until later in the week. But as for the thought of QB LaNorris Sellers or DE Dylan Stewart potentially doing some sort of public fashion show unveiling the new unis in-person — that’s not happening.
4. There will be an integration with A’ja Wilson’s brand
One of the unique aspects of South Carolina joining Nike is the fact that the Gamecocks’ women’s basketball team will be able to rep A’ja Wilson, the USC legend who has a signature show with Nike.
As part of the contract between USC and Nike, the brand agreed to “provide USC basketball with Nike-branded A’ja Wilson signature sneakers (e.g., A’Two), including USC-specific colorways, to wear on court ... explore A’ja Wilson travel (gear) and other team gear for USC women’s basketball,” and feature South Carolina in “A’ja Wilson-related marketing.”
That integration means a ton to coach Dawn Staley, who herself has been a Nike athlete for over 30 years.
“I don’t think any other school is gonna get what we’re gonna get when it comes to A’ja and her legacy,” Staley told The State in May. “All the things that make her special are all the things that will make our program more special.”
5. What’s happening to all the Under Armour gear?
After 19 years of wearing Under Armour, South Carolina has a warehouse worth of gear to get rid of and, well, you’re probably wondering: Can I buy some?
The short answer: Yes ... eventually.
The sale of the old Under Armour gear is being handled by SC State Surplus and information beyond that — when, where, etc. — isn’t clear right now. The State will have more details later this week.
This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 7:00 AM.
