Based on a problem he encountered on the football field, Kevin Plank created a global lifestyle brand that completely changed the way sports and movement enthusiasts dress.
It all started with a simple plan to make a superior t-shirt. A t-shirt that provides compression and wicks sweat away from your skin instead of absorbing it… A t-shirt that works with your body to regulate temperature and improve performance… In 1996, at the age of just 23, Kevin Plank, a football player at the University of Maryland in the United States, turned an idea born on the football field into a groundbreaking innovation that transformed athletes’ apparel from head to toe. Plank hated having to change his sweat-soaked cotton t-shirts over and over again during his football playing days. His passion to find a solution to this situation led to the birth of Under Armour. After extensive research into the athletic benefits of synthetic fabrics, Kevin Plank, who founded the company under this name, designed his first product, the Under Armour HeatGear T-shirt, which he named #0037. Designed with moisture-wicking performance fibers, the shirt kept athletes cool, dry and lightweight even in the most brutal heat. Working out of his grandmother’s basement in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington DC, Plank traveled up and down the East Coast selling his revolutionary first product from the trunk of his car. By the end of 1996, Plank had assembled his first team to work for Under Armour, and in the same year, he had made sales totaling $17,000.
Rising Star
In 1997, Under Armour introduced its famous ColdGear fabric that keeps athletes warm, dry and lightweight in cold conditions, followed by the AllSeasonGear line that keeps athletes comfortable between extremes. By the end of 1998, Under Armour moved out of its grandmother’s basement and into a brand new headquarters and warehouse in Baltimore. In 1999, Kevin Plank and his team are contracted to supply product for the Oliver Stone film Any Given Sunday, starring Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx. In the film, the football team wore Under Armour clothing and accessories in key scenes. Recognizing the incredible opportunity to capitalize on the impact of Any Given Sunday, Plank’s strong entrepreneurial spirit led him to buy his first print ad in ESPN the Magazine. What was a risk at the time, paid off in awareness and a $750,000 increase in sales. To support its continued growth, in 2002 the brand moved its global headquarters to a former soap factory in the Tide Point area of the historic Inner Harbor south of Baltimore. As the brand grew in popularity, Kevin Plank again went big, launching his first TV campaign in 2003. Perpetuating the brand’s signature ‘Protect This House’ tagline, the commercial featured former University of Maryland football player Eric ‘Big E’ Ogbogu and a group of young athletes, who brought the brand’s voice and passion to life in a way no one had ever seen before. Protect This House became a rallying cry for athletes and team spirit, undeniably increasing Under Armour’s brand awareness. Under Armour launched its first women-specific line, UA Women, in 2003. In 2004, the brand introduced special lines for boys and girls and for outdoor athletes. On November 18, 2005, Under Armour went public, becoming the first US-based IPO in five years to double on its first trading day. Under Armour ended 2005 with revenues of $281 million.
Product Range Expands
In 2006, Under Armour aimed to dress the athlete from head to toe. To this end, it launched the Click-Clack line of soccer cleats and added shoes to its product range. The brand captured 23% of the market with this line. Following this tremendous success, the brand expanded its cleat business to include baseball, softball and lacrosse cleats. In 2008, Under Armour introduced performance sneakers, marking its official entry into the athletic footwear market. At the time, Under Armour was also dressing an elite roster of world-class athletes, including future NFL Hall-of-Famer Ray Lewis, gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn, MMA World Champion Georges St-Pierre and Brandon Jennings, the first US basketball player to go straight from high school to a European professional league. Under Armour launches new product lines and new athlete partnerships, opens its new European headquarters in the former Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam and builds its first branded retail store in Annapolis, MD. 2010 ended with a truly incredible financial milestone as Under Armour nearly quadrupled its revenues over a five-year period, surpassing $1 billion in annual revenue.
Global Fame
Over the years, Under Armour has made significant strides in establishing a strong presence outside the US. The brand has gained traction among athletes in Japan, Europe, Canada and Latin America through its on-field partnerships with elite professional teams and players. Under Armour’s international footprint grew rapidly in 2011 when it opened its first brand store in China and became the official technical partner of Tottenham Hotspur of the Barclays Premier League. The Tottenham Hotspur partnership is Under Armour’s largest individual team deal to date. 2011 marks the end of the brand’s long-running battle with one of its greatest enemies: cotton. After years of saying ‘Cotton is the Enemy’, Under Armour further cemented its reputation for innovation by developing Charged Cotton, a line of fast-drying, performance cotton apparel. Charged Cotton was followed by Charged Cotton Storm with its water-resistant technology. In 2012 and 2013, two key Under Armour athletes celebrated monumental achievements. In the summer of 2012, on the sport’s biggest international stage, Michael Phelps cemented his legacy as the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, winning seven medals and bringing his medal tally to 22, including 18 gold medals. In January 2013, Ray Lewis took home his second Super Bowl ring for the Baltimore Ravens, capping his career as one of the game’s greatest defensive players of all time. Seventeen years after the first moisture-wicking t-shirt, Under Armour innovation launches the all-new Armour39, the first performance monitoring system of major importance to an athlete. Today, Under Armour is recognized as the world leader in performance footwear, apparel and accessories with revenues approaching $2 billion and Kevin Plank’s never-ending passion and dedication to creating tomorrow’s next great innovation.
Under Armour Eyewear
Under Armour brings its innovation to the world of eyewear, creating frames for sports enthusiasts and everyday style seekers alike. Under Armour got its big break in 2005 when it signed a licensing agreement with Eyeking, a Brooklyn, New York-based company founded in 1955 to design, manufacture and distribute optical and sunglasses for powerful brands such as Jaguar and Jordache in the 70s. Under Armour Eyewear, which continued its collaboration with Eyeking for 15 years, took its place among the licensed brands of the Italian giant Safilo Group with the global agreement signed on December 16, 2019.
The brand, which continues to cooperate with Safilo Group, attracts attention with its eyewear collections that blend style, durability and performance. What sets Under Armour apart is its holistic approach to performance; the brand doesn’t just create products, it creates solutions that address the specific needs and challenges faced by athletes and active individuals. This is why Under Armour eyewear frames are designed not only for style, but also for optimal performance during physical activities. This means the wearer can enjoy the comfort of valuable features such as non-slip nose pads and temples that prevent the glasses from slipping, even during intense movements, and impact-resistant lenses that provide superior protection. While performance is a top priority for the brand, Under Armour Eyewear does not compromise on luxury and style. Under Armour eyewear collections continue to maintain their strong position in the global optical market with unique designs for a variety of tastes and preferences.
Chronology:
1996
Kevin Plank, who played football at the University of Maryland, founded Under Armour with the idea of a t-shirt that wicks sweat away from the body instead of absorbing it. Its first product, the HeatGear t-shirt, was designed and sold in Plank’s grandmother’s basement.
1997
The ColdGear fabric, which keeps athletes warm in cold conditions, and the AllSeasonGear series, which provides comfort in transitions between hot and cold, are introduced.
1998
With its growth, the brand moves from Kevin Plank’s grandmother’s basement to a new headquarters in Baltimore.
1999
Under Armour provided apparel and accessories for Oliver Stone’s film Any Given Sunday. ESPN runs its first print ad in the Magazine and brand awareness skyrockets.
2003
The first TV ad campaign, Protect This House, is a huge success and raises brand awareness. UA Women, the first series for women, is launched.
2004
Special collections for boys and girls were introduced. Series developed for outdoor athletes.
2005
Under Armour Golf is introduced and an agreement is signed with the University of Maryland, Kevin Plank’s alma mater, to dress the players. Under Armour went public. On the first trading day, the share price doubled, marking a great success. By the end of the year, the company generates revenues of 281 million dollars.
2006
The Click-Clack line of soccer cleats is added to the brand’s product range. Performance shoes are launched with the aim of dressing athletes from head to toe.
2008
It entered the sports footwear market and expanded its products for different sports such as soccer, baseball, softball. Focusing on growth in the European market, it opens a new headquarters in the former Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam.
2010
Under Armour achieves significant financial success, exceeding $1 billion in annual revenue.
2011
The first brand store in China opened. Barclays signed its largest individual team deal with Tottenham Hotspur of the Premier League. The fast-drying and performing Charged Cotton series is launched.
2012
Michael Phelps achieved the biggest successes of his career with the support of Under Armour.
2013
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Ray Lewis has earned his second Super Bowl victory.
2019
It took an important step in eyewear design and signed a license agreement with the Italian Safilo Group.
2024
The brand introduced the UA Unstoppable collection, ushering in a new era in the sportswear industry. The launch campaign featured famous athletes such as Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah.
December 2024
