We at UW-Madison are very proud of three things: academics, drinking and athletic programs.

Adidas is the official sideline sponsor of UW, and all indications are the university is happy with their sponsorship. In addition to Adidas, 450 other companies have licensing rights to produce apparel and other Badger gear, including Jansport and Champion. These contracts are commercially and financially beneficial to UW students and alumni.

This past summer, Nike approached the University about becoming an officially-licensed retailer for UW. Such a contract would be similar to other non-sideline contracts, and other universities — including the University of Nebraska and the University of Tennessee — have sideline deals with Adidas and apparel deals with Nike.

A Nike contract would be expected to generate $35,000 to $50,000 in revenue annually for the university, with half of the money earmarked to support the athletic department and the other half reserved for Bucky Grants, which are need-based scholarships available to all students.

According to the Collegiate Licensing Company, to which UW and approximately 180 other universities belong, Nike is the No. 1-ranked apparel company, signifying its popularity and broad commercial appeal. The Nike “swoosh” is identified by the public as a symbol of hard work and determination, two traits our athletic teams work toward.

Concerns over labor issues have been brought up regarding Nike. Yet many other labor-conscious schools, including Michigan, North Carolina and Duke, all have licensing agreements with Nike. Demands that Nike release employment records is unprecedented, and it is, quite frankly, absurd to expect a private company to open up their detailed records when it is not required of all 450 other companies producing Badger gear, including sideline sponsor Adidas.

A Nike licensing agreement would not be ground breaking, but it would be beneficial to students, the athletic department and alumni seeking greater access to UW apparel.