History of Under Armour
The origins of the Under Armour brand date back to 1995, when Kevin Plank - a 23-year-old former captain of the University of Maryland's American football team - opened his business. Interestingly, the business originally started in his grandmother's basement in Washington DC.
Plank decided to use his experience gained in American football by noticing that the cotton T-shirts he and his teammates wore were always soaked with sweat, making the shirts heavier and heavier as the game went on. That's why the 23-year-old set out to design the perfect T-shirt - one that remains lightweight and sweatproof even in high temperatures. He used feedback from his teammates and friends in the professional NFL league to create the innovative garment. The result was the first T-shirt made of microfibres that wick away moisture brilliantly, keeping the athlete cool, dry and feeling light.
Brand development
The first major sale was made about a year later, with the Georgia Tech American football team taking advantage of the special garment. Shortly afterwards, more Division 1 and NFL teams decided to order Plank jerseys. Such a big step in the development of the brand translated into the relocation of the company's headquarters to South Baltimore, where lines such as Heatgear, Coldgear and AllSeasonGear are still being developed.
In 1999, the Warner brothers signed a contract with Under Armour to make outfits for two American football films - Any Given Sunday and The Replacements. This was the biggest step in the development of the entire brand and brought the brand great popularity. In 2003, Under Armour released its first television commercial.
Today, Under Armour is the manufacturer of the most innovative sportswear in the world. In addition, it has a wide range of accessories, footwear and also a wide range of equipment.
Under Armour Ambassadors
A great many athletes (and non-athletes) from various sports from all over the world are associated with Under Armour. The most well-known of these are:
- Dwayne „The Rock” Johnson,
- Andy
- Trent Alexander-Arnold,
- Matty Cash,
- Mick Schumacher,
- Stephen Curry,
- Joel Embiid,
- Anthony Joshua,
- Saul „Canelo” Alvarez,
- Carey Price,
- Georges St-Pierre,
- Mateusz Gamrot,
- Lindsey Jacobellis,
- Michael Phelps,
- A$AP Rocky.
Under Armour Tennis
The Under Armour brand has made its mark in many sports. This is not surprising given that, in principle, it is extremely important for every athlete to be comfortable, which is guaranteed by feeling cool and dry, which is what Under Armour's manufactured clothing provides.
Tennis is therefore no exception, and the most famous tennis player associated with the manufacturer is three-time Grand Slam winner, 2016 ATP World Tour Finals winner and two-time Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray. The Scot has been seen on the world's courts wearing Under Armour apparel and, more recently, Under Armour footwear.
