Under Armour

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Under Armour NASDAQ: [UARM] is a brand of clothing designed for use in sports. It is most often worn underneath uniforms (like baseball or basketball jerseys) or pads (like American football or lacrosse shoulder pads). Under Armour products are also extremely popular among military and law enforcement personnel; the company has a "Tactical" line especially for this market.

Under Armour led the trend of form-fitting, moisture-wicking performance apparel which was soon imitated by Nike, with their Dri-FIT Pro line, and by Reebok, with their NFL Equipment line.

In June of 2006, Under Armour released a brand of football cleats using the slogan "Click-Clack."

History

The company was founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank, who had captained the Terrapin special teams. Remembering how he had to change cotton T-shirts that were soaked with sweat several times a game, he developed a prototype of a microfiber T-shirt designed to keep a player dry and light during intense physical activity. He quickly persuaded two college teams, both located in warm climates, to purchase his gear: Georgia Tech, located in frequently hot and humid Atlanta, and Arizona State, in the searing desert of the Phoenix area. The NFL's Atlanta Falcons shortly followed suit. Since then, the number of teams using Under Armour gear has increased to include the vast majority of NCAA Division I-A football programs. The company also makes clothing for many other sports. Under Armour's corporate headquarters is located in Baltimore. In 2003, the company began running ads with a football "warrior" theme and the tag line "We must protect this house!" voiced by Dallas Cowboys defensive end Eric Ogbogu (the company continues to use this tag line to this day). In 2004, Under Armour designed the uniforms for the Maryland Terrapins football team, and ran a commercial featuring Terps coach Ralph Friedgen.

On November 18, 2005, Under Armour released its IPO. The stock had the second highest increase in share price ever for the first day of trading, debuting at $13, and doubling to close at just over $26 per share.

In December, 2005, Under Armour announced a five-year deal to be the official outfitter for all of Auburn University's athletic teams. In March, 2006, a similar deal was announced with the Texas Tech University football team.

External links

[Under Armour Homepage]
Article about the [history of Under Armour]

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