What Wisconsin’s Under Armour extension means for the Badgers moving forward
Wisconsin’s massive Under Armour deal marks a major step toward competing in the NIL era, with new resources aimed at helping build the Badgers’ future.
There’s a dividing line running through college sports right now. It separates programs still operating under an outdated model from those scrambling to build a sustainable future in the NIL and transfer portal era.
Wisconsin has been sitting somewhere in the middle of that divide, but the last few weeks have made one thing increasingly clear: the Badgers are trying their hardest to jump to the right side of it.
That theme resurfaced when the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Under Armour announced a 10-year extension of their partnership, a long-term agreement intended to help carry the athletic department into a rapidly changing landscape. On paper, it’s an apparel extension. In reality, it’s another example of the Badgers’ leadership acknowledging that the days of competing on culture, growth, and consistency alone are over.
In a press release, the school framed it as a recommitment that’s built on innovation, performance, and student-athlete support.
“Ten years ago, when we started this partnership, we did so with a mutual commitment to excellence, innovation and elevating Badger student-athletes,” said Wisconsin Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh. “Today, as we renew the relationship amid a new era of collegiate sports, it is clear that Under Armour and Wisconsin cultures are closely aligned in support of our student-athletes, as well as Badger fans everywhere. I’m thrilled to continue to call Under Armour one of our most valued partners.”
That “new era” line is doing a lot of work because Wisconsin’s administration is actively trying to rebuild itself on multiple fronts.
It wasn’t long ago that prominent donor Ted Kellner publicly acknowledged that Wisconsin had fallen into the bottom third of the Big Ten in financial resources, especially within the NIL ecosystem. His words mirrored what fans had already suspected: the Badgers were behind.
But Kellner also shared something else that now looks even more relevant as Wisconsin begins to roll out new long-term partnerships and corporate alignment. “Next year, we will be up in the top third in resources… We were at the lower echelons this last year. We won’t be next year.”