Under Armour Inks 5-Year, $17.5M Deal With Univ. Of Maryland

Under Armour Signs Five-Year Apparel Deal For All Univ. Of Maryland Athletic Teams

Under Armour (UA) has signed a five-year, $17.5M deal to become the exclusive outfitter of Univ. of Maryland (UM) athletics, effective January 1. The partnership, which includes two one-year options exercisable with the consent of both sides, gives UA the rights to provide uniforms, apparel and footwear to each of UM's 27 varsity sports. UA previously had signed apparel contracts with UM's football, men's soccer and men's lacrosse teams (UA). In Maryland, Liz Farmer reports UA will pay the school $1.5M in cash annually and provide $2M in apparel each year. UA Chair & CEO Kevin Plank, a UM alum, said that while his company "does not have the diversity of products to outfit all 27 teams from head-to-toe, all the uniforms will be designed by [UA] and he hopes to have products for every sport by the end of the contract period." UM athletes in the meantime will "test the company's products but can wear other gear -- like basketball shoes -- from outside outfitters" (MARYLAND DAILY RECORD, 9/3). UM becomes the second college program to sign a deal with UA for all athletic teams, joining Auburn. Hawaii, South Carolina, Texas Tech and Utah all wear UA uniforms in football (THE DAILY).

CHANGING TEAMS: UM men's basketball coach Gary Williams' contract with Nike expired August 31, and while the team will still wear Nike shoes this season, it "could wear Under Armour shoes next season." Williams: "I think I was with Nike 19 years, so it was hard to leave. But I really think, for the school, this is what you want" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/3). UM Senior Associate AD Chris Boyer reported UM officials had been "testing the marketplace for nearly 18 months on an official outfitter for both men's and women's sports" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/2).