Under Armour has renewed its sponsorships of U.S. Speedskating and USA Bobsled and Skeleton. The new agreements run through the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy.
The national governing bodies’ leaders say the renewals with Under Armour lock in not just a key sponsor, but also a critical partner for on-ice competitions, where fractions of a second can be the difference between a gold medal and finishing off the podium. U.S. Speedskating Executive Director Ted Morris spoke highly of what Under Armour brings to the table, particularly when it comes to working with the NGB’s athletes.
“Knowing that we have a company like Under Armour working with us to make sure our athletes have the fastest suits in the world is a huge advantage and a great security blanket for our organization,” said Morris. “They have really involved the athletes in the process. We’ve worked with them to send athletes to a wind tunnel we use in California to test the suits, and then Under Armour will actually come out after they deliver the first set of suits to do a fitting for all the athletes.”
The new agreements extend a pair of long-running relationships. Under Armour has been a sponsor of USABS since 2008, and its relationship with USS began in 2011. Sources familiar with the renewals said USS will receive a mix of cash and product, while USABS largely receives equipment and funding for athletes while traveling for competition. Discussions around a potential renewal began ahead of last year’s Beijing Games.
“We don’t want to be in a situation where we’re scrambling at the last minute to replace a key partner,” said USABS CEO Aron McGuire. “From the beginning, the folks we were talking to [at Under Armour] always wanted to be a part of the team. And obviously they’re seeing value from us and our team.”
USABS took home three medals from Beijing, including gold and silver in the debut of women’s monobob, which was watched live by over 25 million viewers following the Super Bowl. USS has also excelled recently. Erin Jackson won gold in Beijing, part of a three-medal haul, and phenom Jordan Stolz recently won a record three individual golds at the ISU World Speed Skating Championships. On-ice success provides important exposure for Under Armour, since the company does not sell a large number of suits at retail as an apparel sponsor might in sports like swimming or gymnastics.
In a statement, Sean Eggert, Under Armour senior vice president of global sports marketing, said the apparel brand and its NGB partners “share a common goal to empower athletes on their journey to compete on the world stage.”
