The city’s Department of Education is seeking sponsorship deals with sporting-goods firms — hoping for discount jerseys, footwear and other gear for public-school teams, The Post has learned.
The arrangements could lead to many high-school football squads donning uniforms primarily by Nike, for example, or soccer teams wearing Adidas cleats or basketball teams shooting Spalding balls.
They could also lead to a wider deal with suppliers like Modell’s to become preferred vendors for the city’s 257 high-school and 380 middle-school teams.
Officials hope a five-year deal, starting in 2013, could save much of the roughly $2 million spent annually on sports equipment.
In turn, the companies would not only get the right to market themselves as an official sponsor of the Public Schools Athletic League, but they would get to build a loyal following among teens.
“It’s a good way for them to reach a very desirable audience,” said David Abrutyn, senior VP at the sports marketing firm IMG Consulting. “If you grow up playing high-school basketball and you’re wearing Nike shoes, they want you to have that affinity for their brands.”
Schools would be encouraged, but not required, to buy sponsored products, officials said.
“Our primary goal is to provide more opportunities for students to participate in athletic activity,” said a DOE spokeswoman.
While more than 43,000 high school kids participate in the PSAL, that represents only 17 percent of the total high school enrollment.
Likewise, the 30,000 students who participate in the intramural league known as CHAMPS comprise only 16 percent of intermediate enrollment.
The sponsorship bid follows similar efforts to raise funds for the PSAL in recent years — including landing MSG Varsity as the official broadcasting network for high school championships and other high-profile games.
The city also secured exclusive contracts with companies to serve healthier food and drinks in school vending machines, with profits earmarked for the sports league.