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As the biggest and most recognizable sports apparel company in the world, Nike made a lot of Michigan Wolverines very happy last night in Ann Arbor.
At midnight on Sunday, Nike officially released its official University of Michigan apparel. To celebrate the event, the M Den, which is the official merchandise retailer on campus, held a four-hour “Welcome Rally”. There were apparently plenty of people who were pumped up about the new Nike gear, because the rally was a huge success.
The rally included performances from the school’s dance team, marching band and even a disk jockey. There were also celebrity appearances from former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, Jimmy King, LaMarr Woodley and athletic director Warde Manuel.
Of course, Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh had to make an appearance as well. As a former student athlete and current coach, Harbaugh was impressed by the turnout.
“This is Coach Harbaugh here,” Harbaugh told the crowd according to Angelique Chengelis from The Detroit News. “I’ve lived 52 years, a lot of those years in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and I’ve never seen anything like this. This is big time. This looks like what it should be when we win a championship.”
Back in April, Michigan and Nike agreed to an apparel deal that is one of the largest deals ever between an athletic apparel company and a university. The deal will be worth up to $173.8 million if they decide to add on a four-year extension after the end of the 11-year deal.
The event was obviously a huge one for both sides, and judging from the turnout at this rally, Michigan fans are pumped to get some Nike apparel.
