A college basketball bribery scandal is expected to lead to arrests of 10 people — including an apparel executive
The FBI arrested 10 people on charges of charges of fraud and corruption in college basketball on Tuesday.
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that four college basketball coaches had been arrested, as well as managers, financial advisors, and representatives of a major international sportswear company.
The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that the arrests were part of a "wide-ranging" investigation focused on financial advisors, agents, and apparel companies paid coaches, in exchange for pressuring players to associate with certain entities.
The multi-million dollar battle for top-tier college basketball teams is hard fought amongst sportswear giants. The visibility of being worn by a certain team or high-profile player is a valuable marketing opportunity for apparel companies, despite the fact that NCAA players cannot be paid to endorse brands.
Under Armour has made major investments in college basketball in recent years. In 2016, the company made a $280 million agreement to replace Adidas as the UCLA men's basketball team's shoe and apparel sponsor for the next 15 years. Under Armour has also cut deals in recent deals with teams including Notre Dame, Auburn, and Wisconsin.
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