Notre Dame officially announces new 10-year partnership with Under Armour

Notre Dame has officially announced a new 10-year apparel deal with Under Armour. (Nate Shron/Getty Images) Notre Dame is ending its current apparel deal with

Notre Dame has officially announced a new 10-year apparel deal with Under Armour. (Nate Shron/Getty Images)

Notre Dame is ending its current apparel deal with Adidas in favor of a new partnership with Under Armour, Fighting Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick officially announced at a press conference on Tuesday. News of a potential deal first surfaced when it was reported by SI.com's Brian Hamilton and others two weeks ago.

The school will enter into the venture with Under Armour on July 1, when its current 10-year contract with Adidas expires.

"At the expiration of our current apparel deal, the University of Notre Dame will partner with Under Armour," Swarbrick said. "... By any measure it is the largest deal of its kind in the history of college athletics."

Notre Dame's new deal with Under Armour will also span 10 years. Swarbrick declined to offer details on the financial aspect of the partnership, but he confirmed that the Irish will have the option to take a portion of the cash component in Under Armour stock.

Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank said the opportunity for his company to join forces with Notre Dame marked a monumental step forward.

"Partnering with one of the world's most respected and admired universities is really a game-changing event for our company," Plank said. "It puts us on a whole other level, and frankly we're ready for that level."

Though no football uniforms were unveiled, Plank said fans should not expect drastic changes to the Irish look.

"Our job is to ensure that we uphold that legacy and move it forward," he said. "... We need to honor and respect the history of the university. We believe that less is more."

HAMILTON: Notre Dame, Under Armour should throw back to past for hoops uniforms