An Athletic Sport Apparel Company

Under Armour was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank , a then 23-year old former special team’s captain of the University of Maryland football team. Plank initially began the business from his grandmother 's basement in Washington, D.C. As a fullback at the University of Maryland , Plank got tired of having to change out of the sweat-soaked T-shirts worn under his jersey; however, he noticed that his compression shorts worn during practice stayed dry. This inspired him to make a T-shirt using moisture-wicking synthetic fabric. After graduating from the University of Maryland , Plank developed his first prototype of the shirt, which he gave to his Maryland

Under Armour’s rapid rise in the sports apparel industry under its founder and CEO Kevin Plank has surprised many. Plank has turned a company that he started in his grandmother’s basement into a powerful opposing force to Nike. The company’s competitive advantage comes through its focus on performance, and its products have been well received by athletes. The company currently enjoys a strong position as professional athletes and movie and video game creators clamor for its products.

Under Armour (UA) was founded by a then 23-year old football player from the University of Maryland in 1996 named Kevin Plank. Kevin started the company from his grandmother’s basement in Washington, D.C. As a player he became tired of having to change his undershirts which became quickly soaked with perspiration. A revelation he made was that his compression shorts worn during practice remained dry even with heavy sweating. This inspired him to make a t-shirt using moisture-wicking synthetic fabric. After graduating, Plank developed his first prototype of the shirt, which he gave to his Maryland teammates and friends who had gone on to play in the NFL. He soon perfected the design of the shirt which utilized microfibers that quickly wicked

Under Armour, an American based apparel company was developed by Kevin Plank in 1995. As team captain on Maryland’s football team, Plank realized that there was a need for performance wear in the world of sport and so the story goes. Plank has developed a multi-billion dollar company in the past two decades with high expectations for the future. Under Amour has signed with some of the greatest of the greats as it relates to the world of sport such as Cam Newton, Steph Curry, Tom Brady and Lindsey Vonn to name a few.

1. Under Armour was founded in 1995 by Kevin Plank. Kevin played football at the University of Maryland and noticed how often he and he’s teammates had to change their undershirts because of all of the sweat they absorbed. The sweat the shirts absorbed made the shirts much heavier and more uncomfortable. He then noticed that the compressions shorts he was wearing were not nearing as heavy and didn’t absorb the sweat the shirt did. This one simple observation kick-started his experimentation to develop a t-shirt for athletes. He experimented with different fabrics in his grandmothers basements until he thought he created the perfect shirt. He sent the shirts to friends that played in the NFL. After receiving feedback, he perfected the design and made his first deal with Georgia Tech, from there the company took off.

Under Armour is in the Textile- Apparel Clothing industry, in the consumer goods sector. The market has been driven by economic recovery, new product offerings and a

Under Armour is a widely known and financially successful corporation in today’s athletic apparel and performance industry; however nineteen years ago it all began with one man’s vivid idea. Kevin Plank, a young aspiring athlete and special team’s captain for the University of Maryland football team, was the first in 1996 to formulize an idea with purpose to provide athletes with a shirt to fit their workout and game needs. As any athlete knows cotton is not the best choice for vigorous activity since this fabric does not dry quickly. This notion is what catapulted Plank’s idea. He put his ideas into motion by creating a blend of fabrics that worked best for the comfort of athletes as this was his main goal. Plank named his company Under Armour and based it upon one shirt that he advertised as “a tight fitting, moisture wicking t-shirt that supports your muscles and regulates your body temperature” (Under Armour, Inc.). He worked determinedly out of his car and his

When it comes time to innovate, even executives who deeply appreciate the discipline that modern management science has produced in finance, marketing, or logistics seem willing to tolerate all sorts of nonsense (Keeley, 2013). One of the innovation initiatives that I would implement to promote employee innovation within Under Armour is establishing larger market share in female market. Because the brand comes from start in football, it is perceived as a male-oriented brand. Even their Ad campaigns’ very aggressive tone. Holistically speaking, women account for 80% of buying decisions, which includes shopping for family members, as well as purchasing for own use. Women athletes are much more particular

Under Armour, Inc. is the frontier for innovation of athletic performance products that enable consumers, men women and youth, to maximize their potential throughout the duration of a game, practice, or workout. The company was founded by Kevin A. Plank in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Under Armour develops and sells products in three primary categories, “In 2015, sales of apparel, footwear and accessories represented 71%, 17% and 9% of net revenues, respectively” (Under, 1). The remaining 3% of net revenues is generated through licensing arrangements. Sales are primarily driven by wholesale channels, but Under Armour “also generate net revenue from the sale of our products through our direct to consumer sales channel…and

Founded in 1996 by University of Maryland graduate Kevin Plank, Under Armour has become the leading supplier of the athletic performance apparel industry. Under Armour began with simple idea to create a t-shirt that would enhance athletic performance by regulating body temperature and removing perspiration

With a mission to “make all athletes better through passion, design, and the relentless pursuit of innovation” and a vision to “empower athletes everywhere”, Under Armour is an athletic apparel company who understands its’ expectation to society and meets these expectations in innovative fashion (Under Armour, 2017). In the world of athletic apparel, Under Armour has been labeled as the underdogs, but along with this label comes their undeniable hunger for growth in all areas of their business, including their tactics to be socially responsible. Under Armour works tirelessly to protect its’ brand and discover new methods to set themselves apart from their competitors. They take nothing for granted and prove this through their philanthropy,

As the word of mouth for the growing product line of Under Armour started to stretch past the locker room, the message was soon received by friends of friends and then their friends and so on. Under Armour's brand visibility started to spread as more and more collegiate athletic trainers and athletes started actively seeking out the product. Soon demand flourished (Mullman, 2009). This word of mouth buzz was perfectly aligned with the marketing strategy put in place by Plank and his staff.

Considering their current market presence, Under Armour has risen into the athletic apparel and accessories market relatively quickly for a business its age. Founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, Under Armour has ascended in less than two decades from an operation selling t-shirts from the trunk of a car, in to a major industry participant that is now challenging Nike, Reebok, and Adidas for market superiority. Their rapid growth has not been accidental.

Under Armour is currently one of the leading companies in the sports apparel industry whose mission is to “Make all athletes better through passion, science, and the relentless pursuit of innovation”.1 When Under Armour first broke into the sports apparel industry it was a disruptive pioneer that initially made the two giants, Nike and Adidas, a little weary. Under Armour revolutionized the sports apparel industry by creating apparel that used synthetic materials as an alternative to natural fibers, such as cotton, or other materials, such as polyester. This all-important switch to these materials resulted in a 2“shirt that provided compression and wicked perspiration off your skin rather than absorb it. A

Under Armour 's mission is to have all athletes better with passion, design and innovation.