Under Armour and UCLA form largest NCAA apparel partnership

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
May 25, 2016

Under Armour has added yet another university to its growing number of collegiate partnerships. The Baltimore-based athletic apparel company announced on Tuesday that it has entered into a new, 15-year performance footwear and apparel agreement with UCLA beginning July 1, 2017.

 
As per the partnership, Under Armour will exclusively design and supply the footwear, apparel and equipment for training and game-day uniforms for all 25 of UCLA’s men’s and women’s varsity athletic teams. The $280 million deal also marks as the largest apparel deal in the history of the NCAA.
 
“This is a huge day for our program, one that is quite literally unprecedented – not just by our own standards, but by those of any collegiate athletic department in the country,” said UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero in a letter to the university. “Not only did we sign the largest footwear and apparel agreement in the history of collegiate athletics, but we gained a visionary partner who has, for the last 24 consecutive quarters (that’s six years to you and me), driven net revenue growth above 20%. This amazing streak demonstrates not only where Under Armour is now, but more importantly, where Under Armour is headed.”

UCLA is the 35th Division I school and third in the Pac-12 to partner with Under Armour. In April, the athletic apparel company entered a 10-year partnership with the University of California, Berkeley, which was the 34th Division I school to form a partnership with Under Armour, as well as the second Pac-12 Conference school to partner with the company after the University of Utah.
 
Other Under Armour partnered schools include Yale University and Davidson College, the alma mater of Under Armour athlete Stephen Curry.