Unrivaled, a new basketball league, is starting to take shape.
The 3×3 women’s basketball league declared on Tuesday that it has inked a multi-year agreement with Under Armour to serve as its official performance outfitter and uniform partner. This comes after the league signed a television broadcast deal with TNT Sports in October and announced some recent notable player signings.
Although the deal’s financial details were not disclosed, Under Armour will supply performance clothing and accessories for all players, coaches, and staff to wear on and off the court.
Under Armour senior vice president of global sports marketing Sean Eggert remarked, “We are extremely excited to collaborate with Unrivaled to outfit some of the world’s top women’s basketball players as they compete on this exciting new stage.”
According to the shop, Under Armour basketball footwear options will be offered to all athletes who do not currently have an active shoe deal. Players will also be able to design their own items with Under Armour.
On January 17, Unrivaled will begin its first season in Miami. In the off-season, the league has established itself as a place for WNBA players to play basketball in the United States.
Many WNBA players have had to travel abroad to play during the offseason in order to augment their revenue in the past. According to ESPN, the starting wage in the WNBA is $64,154.
36 great athletes have signed with Unrivaled thanks to their alluring financial incentives, which include stock. According to the league, its average pay are the highest in the history of women’s professional sports leagues. Several investors are supporting it.
Following founder Kevin Plank’s return to the company’s leadership in March of last year, Baltimore-based Under Armour is currently undergoing a turnaround. Stephanie Linnartz, a former Marriott executive, was fired after less than a year in her position; she was the second CEO the company had gone through in less than two years.
The company has had difficulty competing and increasing full-price sales in recent years, so it has turned to promotions and the off-price channel to move its goods.
Linnartz had been working to increase marketing to women and enhance the product line before to her departure, but Plank reversed that approach when he took over and announced that the company would be increasing concentrate on its men’s clothing division. Later, he revealed a recovery plan that focuses on elevating Under Armour to a premium brand and reducing discounts in order to increase demand and revenues.
When the company announced its fiscal second-quarter profits last month, it noticed a bright spot. It raised its yearly profit projection, and according to Plank, the turnaround is starting to pick up steam. The stock is still down roughly 81% from its peak on September 17, 2015.
The partnership between Under Armour and Unrivaled provides insight into the company’s investment strategy and may suggest that it wants to concentrate more on female athletes in an effort to leverage the popularity of women’s sports and revitalize the brand.
Top women’s collegiate programs, including those at the University of South Carolina, Notre Dame, Maryland, and Utah, are currently partners of Under Armour.
From the amateur level to the professional ranks, we have a long history as a brand of supporting women’s basketball, Eggert stated.
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