Under Armour

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Under Armour Inc.
Type
Founded 1996
Headquarters Baltimore, Maryland
Key people Kevin Plank (Founder/President/CEO)
Products Clothing & Accessories
Revenue ▲$606.6 million USD (2007)
Net income ▲$52.6 million USD (2007)
Employees 1400 (2008)[1]
Website www.underarmour.com 
 slogan         = Advantage is Undeniable
Under Armour Hat
Under Armour Hat

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, hockey or lacrosse shoulder pads), but now also manufactures clothes such as hooded sweatshirts, regular t-shirts, sweat pants, compression shorts, 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.[2] In June of 2006, Under Armour released a brand of football cleats using the slogan "Click-Clack." Many soldiers currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan wear Under Armour or similar moisture-wicking clothing to relieve some heat from the hot climate. Recently parts of the U.S. Military and other NATO forces have banned Under Armour because polyester fuses to the skin when exposed to flame or very intense heat resulting in worse burns.[3] In 2008, Under Armour aired its first ever Super Bowl ad, marketing its first all-sport training shoe, which was released in May 2008.

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[edit] Retail operations

In late 2007, Under Armour opened its first retail location at the Westfield Annapolis mall in Annapolis, Maryland. In May 2008, Under Armour also opened a larger 6,000 square feet store at Westfield Fox Valley in Aurora, Illinois. The stores are designed to look like the underbelly of a sports stadium with concrete facade, tunnel entrance and a ramp that goes up into the store. Under Armour plans to open several other stores in 2008.

[edit] Sponsorship

[edit] Athletic Teams

On February 15, 2008, Under Armour announced it will become the official kit sponsor of German Bundesliga team Hannover 96 beginning with the 2008-09 season, Under Armour's first kit sponsorship for a professional soccer team.[4] Under Armour also announced that they would sponsor the Wales rugby team's shirts starting next season.

Under Armour is the official outfitter for the football programs at Southern Illinois University, University of Maryland, Auburn University, the University of South Carolina, Texas Tech University, University of Hawaiʻi, the University of North Texas and the University of Utah.[5]

As of Fall 2008, Under Armour will be the sole sponsor for all sports at University of Maryland, College Park.

[edit] Spokespeople

Meissner wearing Under Armour warmup gear
Meissner wearing Under Armour warmup gear

[edit] Awards

[edit] References

  1. ^ Barnett, Gigi. "New Under Armour Product Revealed", WJZ 13 Baltimore, 2008-05-04. 
  2. ^ 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..."
  3. ^ Holt, Stephen (April 10, 2006). Marines Ban Polyester Clothing In Iraq. Marine Corps News. Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
  4. ^ "Under Armour(R) is New Official Kit Supplier for Hannover 96", press release, Yahoo.com, 2008-02-15. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  5. ^ "Under Armour says 'Aloha' to University of Hawaii", press release, Baltimore Business Journal at bizjournals.com, 2008-02-25. Retrieved on 2008-03-02. 
  6. ^ Women's Sports Foundation Hosted The Billies, Recognizing Media Excellence in Women's Sports and Physical Activity. prnewswire.com (2008-04-16). Retrieved on 2008-04-16.

[edit] External links

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