Notre Dame's recent switch from adidas to Under Armour "is a splashy move for a tradition-rich university that this season seems to be breaking from its most time-honored customs," according to Marc Tracy of the N.Y. TIMES. Notre Dame gives UA "immediate entree to a gigantic, passionate fan base -- not to mention lots of airtime on NBC." UA Founder, Chair & CEO Kevin Plank said, "I’m not saying we’ve been playing in single-A ball, but we just signed the Yankees." Tracy notes the partnership "is compelling because it is complementary: the ultimate establishment (or stodgy) football program trying to adjust to the times by joining with the ultimate renegade (or showy) apparel company seeking gravitas." UA Exec VP/Global Marketing Matt Mirchin: "One of the things we bring to Notre Dame is, as they’re starting to recruit athletes and engage their fan base, we’re a young, innovative brand. Then you look at what was attractive to us -- it’s that authenticity, history, heritage." Tracy notes preserving that history "was a priority" for UA, and "those around the Irish program seem pleased with the results." UA "audited Notre Dame’s existing uniforms and apparel, noting logo inconsistencies with the aim of correcting them." The main uniform changes "involved the type of fabric." Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick said that the school "hopes to eventually serve as a kind of laboratory for Under Armour's products ... although nobody expects the relationship to reach the level of Nike's with Oregon." Notre Dame hopes that UA "will help introduce the Fighting Irish to generations that have a harder time recalling" the school's glory days. Swarbrick: "I love the way they skewed younger. Especially with a traditional brand, you want to make sure you don’t become narrowed to an older audience" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/12).
