On Thursday, Jordan Brand announced a 20-year partnership with Howard University, one of the country’s preeminent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
via: Vibe
First reported on in May, HU’s school newspaper The Hilltop shared new details on the 20-year deal. The deal comes as the Washington D.C. institution’s deal with Under Armour ended this summer.
The new Jumpman uniforms will debut this football season on Aug. 27 at Howard University’s Game Zero when the Bison take on Alabama State University.
Among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Morehouse College have partnerships with the Jordan Brand. Additionally, Howard’s golf team has a partnership with Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry which will not be affected by the new deal.
“From current students and alumni to the Shaw neighborhood and communities all around the world that are impacted by the people of Howard University, how we pay homage to the broader community is as important as gaining recognition globally,” expressed a press release from the Jordan brand. “This partnership with Howard is not only an investment in the organization, it is an investment in Black futures, inspired by basketball culture.”
After the game against ASU, Howard’s football schedule is fills out with matches against Hampton, South Florida, Morehouse College, Yale, Harvard, Morgan State, and more. Head football coach Larry Scott shared his hopes for the team after finishing the 2021 season with a 3-8 record.
“The team had to learn how to play hard the whole game,” he remarked. “We can win and it took that experience for them to realize that. We have had time to process and it is going to make a difference.”
“We had a lot of young players last season trying to figure things out,” Scott continued. “I like their efforts and commitment. In the offseason, they have dedicated themselves to getting strong and putting on a few extra pounds.”
