California-based performance underwear brand Ethika has signed multiyear deals with several NBAers and NFLers, including Warriors G Klay Thompson. Other athletes signing with the company include Bucks G Michael Carter-Williams, Lakers G Lou Williams, Thunder G Dion Waiters, T’Wolves F Shabazz Muhammad, Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry, Broncos WR Cody Latimer and Bengals RB Jeremy Hill. Originally touted by musical artists and action sports athletes, Ethika chose to dive into the basketball and football space because those athletes closely resemble the target market of the hip-hop culture. “There was nothing cool about men’s underwear. It was kind of a weird subject,” said Ethika VP/Marketing Danny Evans. “But we looked at it as a category that could use a lot of style and make it a fashion piece where dudes are comfortable talking to other guys about underwear.” Since going to retail in '12, revenue has seen major growth and has more than doubled each year. A very large jump is also anticipated for '16 as Ethika uses these new athletes to expand into the athletic retail distribution. He added that once a steady stream of revenue comes in, the brand plans to expand its reach into baseball, soccer and other sports as well. Thompson's deal with Ethika is the latest add to his growing sponsorship portfolio that includes wearable tech firm ShotTracker, sports drink BodyArmor and sock company Stance, among others.
