Wharton inks football deal

From High School Sports:

The Wharton football team has agreed upon a shoe and outfitting deal with Reebok, becoming the third Hillsborough County high school to sign with the athletic apparel company, Reebok's director of team sports for the state of Florida Rich Keast said Tuesday.

Hillsborough and Bloomingdale have already reached aggreements with Reebok, which will provide the team with practice shirts and shorts and outfit sideline staff in exchance for a team purchase of their NFL Epuipment shoe line at a discounted price, Keast said. The schools also receive discounts on Reebok uniforms, which would be of the same quality as NFL uniforms, complete with form-fitting fabric with moisture-wicking technology for sweat.

At least three other bay area football teams could follow, Keast said.

Reebok is the official supplier of the NFL and is now focused on spreading its brand into the high school football ranks. Armwood signed an exclusive Nike agreement, one of just five in the state of Florida.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA