Under Armour Launches Curry Brand With Eyes on Nike’s Jordan
After changing the game of basketball from beyond the arc and taking his talents from Nike to Under Armour in 2013, Stephen Curry is getting his own brand with the Baltimore, Md.,-based company. Curry Brand, which launches Dec. 1, will feature clothes, shoes and other products for basketball and golf. Curry’s newest basketball shoe, the UA Curry 8, will debut Dec. 11.
The brand is Under Armour’s latest attempt to not only reach younger customers but also compete with Nike and Jordan Brand. The Curry Brand versus Jordan Brand battle will look something like the Biblical tale of David and Goliath. In 2019, Jordan Brand generated $3.1 billion of Nike’s total $39.1 billion in sales. Under Armour, which has undergone multiple restructures, layoffs and store closures over the last couple of years, did $5.27 billion in sales as a company last year.
Curry Brand’s decision to immediately launch golf products is similar to the way Nike has attempted to help Jordan Brand diversify its reach outside of basketball. Jordan Brand has partnered with the French soccer club PSG (Paris Saint-Germain F.C.) for jerseys and other apparel, while the University of Michigan was the first football program to don the Jumpman logo in 2016.
In addition to its acknowledgement of the Golden State Warriors point guard’s off-court love of golf, Under Armour’s Curry Brand also will align with its namesake’s philanthropic and community interests.
“We have a shared goal of unlocking play for kids, so that became a natural place for us to focus,” said Curry in a statement of his partnership with Under Armour. “I grew up doing a lot of things to give back to the community with my family—and continue that now—while Under Armour has done so much to support athletes around the world.”
Curry Brand will save a portion of its annual revenue to give back to communities through three main initiatives, each with quantifiable targets by 2025: creating at least 20 safe places to play (through investments in such projects as basketball court renovations), supporting 125 school and community programs for young athletes (through assisting with the gifting of resources and products) and training more than 15,000 coaches (through funding their recruitment and development). The brand expects these measures to impact more than 100,000 children over the next five years.
“For many years, Stephen and Under Armour have worked together in partnership—a partnership built around shared values,” said Patrik Frisk, Under Armour president and CEO. “Through this brand, we have an opportunity to push forward our vision for a better world, especially for young athletes facing challenges with access and opportunity for sport.”
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