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| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Key people | Kevin Plank (Founder/CEO) |
| Products | Clothing & Accessories |
| Revenue | ▲$725.2 million USD (2008) |
| Net income | ▼$38.2 million USD (2008) |
| Total assets | ▲ US$ 487.6 million (2008) |
| Total equity | ▲ US$ 331.1 million (2008) |
| Employees | 2200 (2008)[1] |
| Website | www.underarmour.com |
Under Armour, NYSE: UA, is a US clothing company best known for its introduction of form-fitting, moisture-wicking apparel designed to be worn under sportswear.
Founder Kevin Plank was an American football player with the University of Maryland who got tired of having to change out of the sweat-soaked T-shirts he wore under his jersey, so he made a tee shirt using moisture-wicking fabric for athletic performance[2] and founded the company in 1996.
The company is a supplier of a much wider range of sportswear and casual apparel.[3] Under Armour began offering footwear in 2006, and continues to expand its offerings.[4]
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Under Armour was founded as KP Sports in 1996 by former University of Maryland special teams captain Kevin Plank. Plank and co-founder Kip Fulks, a former University of Maryland lacrosse player, began their business from Plank’s grandmother’s basement Washington, DC.
By 1996, Under Armour had generated $17,000 in revenue purely by word of mouth. In 1997, Plank had $100,000 in orders to fill and found a factory in Ohio to make the shirts. People began to take notice of the brand when a front page photo of USA Today featured Oakland Raiders quarterback Jeff George wearing an Under Armour mock turtleneck. Following that front page, Under Armour’s first major sale came when an equipment manager from Georgia Tech asked Plank for 350 shirts. The deal with Georgia Tech opened the door to a contract with N.C. State. With positive reviews from players, word began to spread and orders began to increase.
Under Armour first made a profit in 1998 and received its first big break in the 1999 Oliver Stone movie Any Given Sunday, in which Willie Beamen, played by Jamie Foxx, wore an Under Armour jockstrap. Plank sent samples of his products to the costume designer and convinced Stone’s assistant to pay for the Under Armour goods.
Leveraging the release of Any Given Sunday, Plank purchased an ad in ESPN the Magazine. The ad generated close to $750,000 in sales, and three years after starting the company, Plank finally put himself on the payroll.
Under Armour's global headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland. Its European headquarters is located in Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium; additional offices are located in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto,New Mexico, and Guangzhou.
Many soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan wear Under Armour or similar moisture-wicking clothing for some relief in the hot climate, but parts of the U.S. Military and other NATO forces have banned such clothing in combat situations because polyester fuses to the skin when exposed to flame or intense heat, resulting in severe burns.[5] A new, non-synthetic moisture-wicking garment line has been issued by the Department of Defense that does not share Under Armour's vulnerability to fire.[6]
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-foot (560 m2) store at Westfield Fox Valley in Aurora, Illinois. Under Armour has opened several other stores in 2008.
For the 2008-09 season, Under Armour became the official kit sponsor of German Bundesliga team Hannover 96. Under Armour's first kit sponsorship for a professional soccer team.[7] Under Armour announced it would supply the Wales rugby team's kits starting with the 2008 end-of-year tests.[8]
Under Armour is the official outfitter for the football programs at Auburn University, University of Delaware, University of Hawaiʻi, University of Maryland, University of North Texas, University of South Carolina, University of South Florida, Southern Illinois University, Texas Tech University, University of New Hampshire, University of Utah, Warren Central High School, Southern Garrett High School, Southlake Carroll High School,(Spring,Texas)|Spring Westfield High School]] Lakewood High School (California), Donald A. Wilson, in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, Selinsgrove Area High School, Pennsylvania, Kearney High School, and Highland Park High School.[9]
On September 2, 2008, Under Armour signed a 5-year contract with the University of Maryland worth $17.5 million, making Under Armour the sole athletic outfitter for all 27 varsity sports at the school. The contract went into effect on January 1, 2009. A similar deal was finalized with Texas Tech University in November 2008 involving outfitting of all 17 varsity athletic teams in a five-year, $11 million contract.
On December 1, 2009, Boston College announced it will be switching to Under Armour for the 2010 NCAA football season.[10]
The clothing line is also the primary sponsor of the Under Armour All-America Game, an all-star game with the nation's top high-school football players.
In June 2009, Under Armour created a test team of Europe's best amateur and semi-professional footballers to promote the launch of their football boots in Europe.[11]
On April 29, 2009, the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of all Under Armour brand athletic cups. The cups, which were manufactured in China, may break when struck, posing a risk of serious injury to the athlete. They were sold from January 2006 through March 2009.[12]
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Search|title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,78945,00.html.
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   | UnderArmour.com - Under Armour ® Official Site. Performance Sports Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories. Free Shipping Available. |
| | UABiz.com - The Business of Under Armour - UABiz.com - Under Armour, Inc. - |
| | Baltimore Business Journal - Analysts: Brand crossover risky for Under Armour - Baltimore Business Journal: |
| | Marines Ban Polyester Clothing In Iraq - Marines Ban Polyester Clothing In Iraq |
| | Under Armour says 'Aloha' to University of Hawaii - Under Armour says 'Aloha' to University of Hawaii - Baltimore Business Journal: |
| | University of South Carolina Partners with Under Armour to Outfit Football Program - University of South Carolina Partners with Under Armour to Outfit Football Program :: Relationship will provide Gamecocks with the most technologically advanced gear available |
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