Under Armour Has Strong Future After Notre Dame Deal
The landscape of the NCAA is shifting rapidly underneath our feet. Conferences are unrecognizable, outdated rules are finally changing, and the importance of money in college athletics has never been more pronounced.
One of the most important institutions resides in South Bend, Indiana. No matter what changes, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will always be a highly sought-after partner for any brand.
What Happened
That is why when Notre Dame's athletic apparel deal with Under Armour expired in May, it had the potential to shake up the sports apparel industry. However, on July 31, the two parties reached a new deal, according to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.
The ten-year, $100 million contract ($10 million annually in money and apparel) vaults Notre Dame near the top of the country in annual revenue generated from apparel deals. The importance of this new agreement cannot be overstated. Notre Dame gets the deal it deserves, while Under Armour picks up a much-needed win.
Why It's Important
In recent years, Under Armour canceled deals with UCLA (resulting in a messy lawsuit), Cal, Hawaii, and Cincinnati. But the Baltimore-based brand has a foothold with important college football and basketball programs like Auburn, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Utah, Texas Tech, and Notre Dame.
In March, Under Armour reprised its iconic "Protect This House" marketing campaign. The goosebump-inducing commercials played throughout the NCAA Basketball Tournaments and NBA Playoffs.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum, and South Carolina Gamecocks guard Aliyah Boston represented a new generation of athletes carrying the brand forward. Unfortunately for Under Armour, Boston signed with adidas in May, shortly after the Indiana Fever selected her with the top pick of the 2023 WNBA Draft.
What To Expect
Despite the setback of losing the potential future face of the WNBA, Under Armour still picked up a win when Curry signed a lifetime contract with the brand. Combine that with yesterday's news of Notre Dame re-upping with the brand, and Under Armour is poised to remain a major player in college and professional athletics.
In May, Under Armour released numbers showing its 2023 fiscal year revenue is up 3% to $5.9 billion. Founder Kevin Plank and new president Stephanie Linnartz have buoyed the brand through choppy waters, which is much better than some organizations (we're looking at you, Pac-12) have handled the changing landscape.
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