Swooshes all over at Armwood-Plant

When ESPNU broadcasts Friday’s nationally televised game between Armwood and Plant, the Nike swoosh will be seen prominently.

Both teams will be wearing Nike uniforms, even though visiting Armwood will be wearing its home blue jerseys and the Panthers dressed in their away whites, Armwood coach Sean Callahan said Tuesday.

Armwood entered into a Nike team contract this spring, one of just five Florida elite high school programs to receive a deal. Meanwhile, Plant recently purchased white Nike jerseys.

Callahan and Plant coach Robert Weiner agreed to the uniform switch.

Nike’s venture into high school sports is a new one, but the company hopes to use the same model that was successful in its foray into college football about 15 years ago.

"We created such a marketable event," Len Kosmalski, the company's team sale representative for Florida colleges and high schools, said in March. "A million people watch a Florida State-Miami game on TV, and they all see the Nike logo. Since we were doing so well at the college level, we're venturing into the elite high school level."

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Comments

Plant needs to wear its home black uniforms at home. The county just doesn't want to give Plant a true home game. They split the tickets 60/40 and Armwood cannot even sell theirs out. The visitor stands at Plant do not represent 40% of the seating, maybe 25%. Armwood's visitor stand is even smaller and I don't remember Plant being accomodated with 40% of the tickets, even for the playoff game.

This is crap.

Man it's all about walmart t-shirts not stupid nike gear. it shows how cheap high school is getting to get sponsored by nike.

No-ESPN did! They want to showcase as many ESPN 150 recruits as possible and there is a few in this game.

[Huh?]

"We created such a marketable event." Did Nike "create" this game? Just wondering...