Under Armour

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Under Armour NYSE: UA is a brand of clothing headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland designed for use in sports. It was originally created to be worn underneath uniforms (like baseball or basketball jerseys) or pads (like football or lacrosse shoulder pads), but now also manufactures clothes such as hooded sweatshirts, regular t-shirts, sweat pants, etc. Under Armour led the trend of form-fitting, moisture-wicking performance apparel which was soon imitated by Nike, with their Dri-FIT Pro line, and by Reebok, with their NFL Equipment line.^[1]

In June of 2006, Under Armour released a brand of football cleats using the slogan "Click-Clack."

1 History
2 Spokesmen
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

The company was founded in 1996 by former Maryland football player Kevin Plank. Remembering how he had to change cotton T-shirts because they were were soaked with sweat from many practices, he developed a prototype of fiber designed to keep a player clean and light during intense practices and games. He quickly persuaded two college teams, both located in warm climates, to purchase his gear: Georgia Tech, located in frequently hot and humid Atlanta, and Arizona State, in the searing desert of the Phoenix area. The NFL's Atlanta Falcons shortly followed suit. Since then, the number of teams using Under Armour gear has increased to include the vast majority of NCAA Division I-A football programs. The company also makes clothing for many other sports.

Under Armour's corporate headquarters is located in Baltimore. In 2003, the company began running ads with a football "warrior" theme and the tag line "We must protect this house!" (The company continues to use this tag line to this day). In 2004, Under Armour designed the uniforms for the Maryland Terrapins football team, and ran a commercial featuring Terps coach Ralph Friedgen.

On November 18, 2005, Under Armour released its IPO. The stock had the second highest increase in share price ever for the first day of trading, debuting at $13, and doubling to close at just over $26 per share.

In December, 2005, Under Armour announced a five-year deal to be the official outfitter for all of Auburn University's athletic teams. In March, 2006, a similar deal was announced with the Texas Tech University football team and Southlake Carroll High School football team.

In August, 2006 Under Armour joined Nike and Reebok as the only other authorized footwear supplier for the National Football League.

In February, 2007 Under Armour and the Chicago Cubs announced a deal that would allow Under Armour to advertise their logo on the green outfield doors tucked into the ivy.

"It's the first time the Cubs have allowed any ad or sign on the outfield doors. Jay Blunk, director of marketing and sales for the team, said the Cubs have been approached by other companies wanting to use the space. He said Under Armour was the 'right fit.'"

In the same month, they made new uniforms for the South Carolina football team.

[edit] Spokesmen

[edit] References

^ Baltimore Business Journal Analysts: Brand crossover risky for Under Armour "Under Armour's shirts, shorts and accessories are made with moisture-wicking fabrics that pull sweat away from the body. They've become the industry standard even as Nike, Reebok and other companies have tried desperately to overtake Under Armour as the performance apparel leader."