Under Armour - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Under Armour is an American sports clothing and accessories company. The company is a supplier of a wide range of sportswear and casual apparel mainly focusing on hi-tech sportswear for professional athletes. Under Armour began offering footwear in 2006.

History

The company was founded on January 26, 1996 by Kevin Plank

Kevin Plank

Kevin A. Plank is an American CEO and founder of Under Armour, Inc., a leading manufacturer of sports performance apparel, footwear and accessories based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.-Early life:...

, a former University of Maryland

University of Maryland

When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...

special teams captain for the university football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

team. Plank began the business from his grandmother's basement in Washington, DC.

Plank, who got tired of having to change out of the sweat-soaked T-shirts he wore under his jersey, noticed that his compression shorts stayed dry. This was the inspiration to make a T-shirt using moisture-wicking fabric for athletic performance.

By 1996, Under Armour had generated $17,000 in revenue purely by word of mouth. In 1997, Plank had $100,000 in orders to fill and found a factory in Ohio to make the shirts. People began to take notice of the brand when a front page photo of USA Today

USA Today

USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...

featured Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

quarterback Jeff George

Jeff George

Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" George is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft...

wearing an Under Armour mock turtleneck. Following that front page, Under Armour's first major sale came when an equipment manager from Georgia Tech asked Plank for 10 shirts. The deal with Georgia Tech opened the door to a contract with N.C. State. With positive reviews from players, word began to spread and orders began to increase. Under Armour first made a profit in 1998 and received its first big break in the 1999 Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone

William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...

movie Any Given Sunday
Any Given Sunday
Any Given Sunday is a 1999 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone depicting a fictional professional American football team. The film features an ensemble cast, consisting of Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine, John C...

, in which Willie Beamen, played by Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx

Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...

, wore an Under Armour jockstrap. Plank sent samples of his products to the costume designer. Leveraging the release of Any Given Sunday, Plank purchased an ad in ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine is a bi-weekly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut in the United States. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998....

. The ad generated close to $750,000 in sales, and 9 years after starting the company, Plank finally put himself on the payroll.

Headquarters

Under Armour's global headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland. Its European headquarters is located in Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium; additional offices are located in Denver, Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, and Guangzhou

Guangzhou

Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...

Retail operations

In late 2007, Under Armour opened its first retail location, at the Westfield Annapolis mall in Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...

. In May 2008, Under Armour also opened a larger 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) store at Westfield Fox Valley

Westfield Fox Valley

Westfield Fox Valley, formerly Fox Valley Center, is a shopping mall in Aurora, Illinois. Its four anchor stores are Carson Pirie Scott, JCPenney, Macy's and Sears....

in Aurora, Illinois

Aurora, Illinois

Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...

. Under Armour has opened several other stores in 2008. Under Armour recently opened their first store outside of North America. This is located in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is run and owned by First XV, the rugby store situated next door.

American Football

Miles Austin

Miles Jonathon Austin III is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006...

Anquan Boldin

-Arizona Cardinals:As a rookie Boldin set an NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie in his first game , tied Billy Sims for most yards from scrimmage by a rookie in his first game , and holds the NFL record for most receptions in the first 26 games of an NFL career...

Tom Brady

Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...

Brian Cushing

-Houston Texans:Cushing was drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.He scored his first career points on October 4, 2009 when he recorded a safety against the Oakland Raiders. The safety was the first recorded by a Texan since the 2002 season.Cushing was...

Vernon Davis

-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...

Devin Hester

Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...

A.J. Hawk Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis is a professional American football player.Ray Lewis may also refer to:* Ray Lewis , former English association football referee* Ray Lewis , Canadian track-and-field athlete...

Rey Maualuga

Rey Maualuga is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...

Cam Newton

Cameron Lemark Newton is a former American football safety. He played college football at Furman University, then played two seasons in the NFL, one each for the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. He was cut from the Panthers before the 2007 season...

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

-Arizona Cardinals:Rodgers-Cromartie was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. On July 25, he signed a 5-year, $15.1 million contract with the team that includes $9 million in guarantees. Rodgers-Cromartie was named the starting nickelback for the 2008 season, behind...

Julio Jones

Quintorris Lopez "Julio" Jones is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide...

Santana Moss

Santana Terrell Moss is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...

Torrey Smith

James Torrey Smith is an American wide receiver and kickoff returner in the National Football League. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2011 NFL Draft. Smith attended Stafford Senior High School in Stafford, Virginia, where he played basketball and football. He accepted a scholarship...

Baseball

José Reyes

Jose Reyes (catcher)

José Ariel Reyes Ramírez is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He is not related to All-Star shortstop José Reyes....

Bryce Harper

Bryce Aron Max Harper is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Washington Nationals organization. Harper was selected by the Nationals with the first overall pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft...

Buster Posey

Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III is a catcher for the San Francisco Giants. He was drafted by the Giants fifth overall in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft....

Matt Wieters

Matthew Richard Wieters is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Wieters was drafted 5th overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. Wieters played college baseball for Georgia Tech, and his agent is Scott Boras. Wieters is a tall athletic hitter, standing 6 feet...

Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Edward Kershaw is a left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.In 2011, Kershaw won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985...

Basketball

Brandon Jennings

Brandon Jennings is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association who plays at point guard....

Greivis Vasquez

Greivis Vásquez is a Venezuelan basketball player with the Memphis Grizzlies, who selected him in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. He was chosen after a stellar U.S. college career with the University of Maryland men's basketball team...

Kemba Walker

Kemba Hudley Walker is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats. Walker grew up in The Bronx, New York and graduated from Rice High School in 2008. With the Huskies basketball team at Connecticut, Walker was the 2nd leading college basketball scorer in the United States...

Derrick Williams

Derrick Williams (basketball)

Derrick LeRon Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was considered one of the top prospects for the 2011 NBA Draft and was selected as the second overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves...

Maccabi Rishon LeZion

Maccabi Rishon LeZion (basketball)

Maccabi Rishon LeZion is a basketball club based in Rishon LeZion in central Israel. The club plays in Ligat HaAl, the top division of Israeli basketball.-History:...

Football

Once Caldas

Corporación Deportiva Once Caldas is a Colombian association football team, based in Manizales. They were the surprise winners of Copa Libertadores de América in 2004, mainly due to the performances of Juan Carlos Henao and Jhon Viáfara...

Tottenham Hotspur (from 2012-13) SuperSport United

Supersport United

SuperSport United is a South African football club based in Pretoria that plays in the Premier Soccer League.The club was originally known as Pretoria City. City was purchased by M-Net in 1994. M-Net got approval from the National Soccer League and the club was renamed.United is known as...

Bobby Zamora

Robert Lester "Bobby" Zamora is an English footballer who plays for Fulham and the England national football team. Zamora began his career at Football League club Bristol Rovers, but was soon signed by Brighton & Hove Albion, where he found first team success...

Michael Dawson Paul Robinson Aris Thessaloniki

Aris Thessaloniki F.C.

Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in...

Maccabi Tel Aviv Toluca Estudiantes Tecos

Bob Erlich

Colleges

Calgary Dinos

The Calgary Dinos football team has won the Vanier Cup national championship four times, the most out of any of the Canada West teams and most recently in 1995. The Dinos also won in 1983, 1985 and 1988. The team most recently appeared in the 2010 Vanier Cup, but lost to the Laval Rouge et Or...

Western Ontario Mustangs

The Western Ontario Mustangs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada...

Kean University

Kean University is a coeducational, public research university located in Union and Hillside, New Jersey, United States. Kean University serves its students in the liberal arts, the sciences, and the professions with a dedication to intellectual and cultural growth and is best known for its...

Auburn Tigers

Auburn Tigers is the name given to Auburn University athletic teams. The University is a member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 19 varsity teams in 13 sports:* Men's sports** Baseball** Basketball...

Boston College Eagles

The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams representing Boston College. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The women's crew team competes in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing...

Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs Hawaii Warriors Maryland Terrapins

Maryland Terrapins

The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 27 men's and women's athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...

+ McNeese State Cowboys Nichols College

Nichols College

Nichols College is a private, co-educational, four-year institution of higher learning that is located in Dudley, Massachusetts.Nichols has many diverse majors that mainly focus on business and liberal arts. The school also offers an MBA program for graduate students.Nichols College athletics...

Wagner University Minot State Beavers

Minot State Beavers

The Minot State Beavers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Minot State University , located in Minot, North Dakota. The Beavers currently in the process of transitioning from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to the NCAA Division II...

North Texas Mean Green

North Texas Mean Green is the team name used for both men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas....

South Carolina Gamecocks

The University of South Carolina's 19 varsity sports teams are known as the "Gamecocks". The unique moniker is held in honor of Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina war hero who was given the name "The Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution for his fierce fighting tactics, regardless of his...

South Florida Bulls

The South Florida Bulls are the athletic teams for the University of South Florida. The university competes in NCAA Division I, USF is a member of the Big East Conference, and has been since 2005...

Southern Illinois Salukis

The Southern Illinois Salukis are the varsity athletic teams representing Southern Illinois University. The nickname comes from the saluki, the royal dog of Egypt and the Persian greyhound, which ties into the fact that southern Illinois has had the nickname "Little Egypt" for just under 200...

Temple Owls

Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has a very long-running athletic program. The school's sports teams are called the Owls, originating from the university's early days as a night school. The current athletic director is Bill Bradshaw....

Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...

Toledo Rockets

The Toledo Rockets are the athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo. The Rockets are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play in the Mid-American Conference . The school's colors are midnight blue and gold.Toledo's...

Towson Tigers

The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson...

Truman State Bulldogs Utah Utes

Utah Utes

The Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the...

Delaware Blue Hens Whittier College

Whittier College

Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California. As of January 2009, the college has approximately 1540 enrolled students.-Overview:...

Youngstown State Penguins

Youngstown State University is in NCAA Division I. Nicknamed the Penguins, they play in the Horizon League and Missouri Valley Football Conference, and compete in the following sports:*Baseball *Basketball *Cross Country...

(+) Maryland is Under Armour's flagship athletic program.

High Schools

Dickinson High School

Dickinson High School can refer to:* Dickinson High School * Dickinson High School , Dickinson, Texas* John Dickinson High School, Wilmington, Delaware* William L. Dickinson High School, Jersey City, New Jersey...

Lake Travis High School

Lake Travis High School, is rated by the Texas Education Agency as an Exemplary secondary. The preparatory is located approximately 20 miles west of Austin, Texas and has been ranked by Newsweek as one of "America’s Best High Schools". LTHS serves students in grades nine through twelve who live in...

Elder High School

Elder High School is a parochial all-male, college-preparatory high school in the Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. The high school has been in existence for over 85 years and is a parochial high school within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati...

Broadneck High School

Broadneck High School is a school in the United States, located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland on Green Holly Drive, in the city of Annapolis and next to the town of Arnold. The Bruin is the school's mascot...

Bergen Catholic High School

Bergen Catholic High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school in Oradell, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade...

East Grand Rapids High School

East Grand Rapids High SchoolLocation2211 Lake Drive SEEast Grand Rapids, MI 49506InformationPrincipalJenny FeeAssistant PrincipalCraig WiegelGuidance DirectorLori S...

Goose Creek High School

Goose Creek High School (Goose Creek, South Carolina)

Goose Creek High School is a public high school located in Goose Creek, South Carolina.Goose Creek High School serves grades 9 through 12, and is a part of the Berkeley County School District. Goose Creek High School has about 2,000 students. Their rival is Stratford High School. The school's...

Hoover High School

Hoover High School may refer to any of the following:*Hoover High School , Hoover, Alabama, made famous by the MTV show Two-A-Days*Hoover High School, North Canton, Ohio*Herbert Hoover High School , Fresno, California...

Irmo High School

Irmo High School is a four-grade public high school in Irmo, a suburb of Columbia, South Carolina. Around 2,000 students are enrolled in any single year...

Lakewood High School

Lakewood High School may refer to:*Lakewood High School — Lakewood, California*Lakewood High School — Lakewood, Colorado*Lakewood High School — St...

Kenton High School

Kenton High School can refer to any of the following educational institutions:*Kenton High School in Newcastle upon Tyne, England*Kenton High School in Kenton, Ohio, USAAnother school with a similar name:...

Mount Saint Joseph High School Mullen High School Natrona County High School

Natrona County High School

Natrona County High School is a public secondary school located in Casper, Wyoming, and serves Natrona County School District #1, which encompasses all of Natrona County, Wyoming. The school remains a rival of Kelly Walsh High School, one of Casper's other two high schools along with Roosevelt...

New Bern High School

New Bern High School is a high school in New Bern, North Carolina whose students come from the New Bern and James City area. It is located in Craven County. The student population is approximately 1900, and there are 165 faculty and staff members. The 2007–2008 school year was the start of...

Oaks Christian High School

Oaks Christian High School is a private non-denominational Christian college-preparatory school located on in Westlake Village, California. Oaks Christian is one of several high schools located within the city limits of Westlake Village. The school colors are Cardinal Red and Vegas Gold and the...

Opelika High School

Opelika High School is located in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. Opelika High School, of the Opelika City Schools, serves students in grades 9-12. The principal is Dr. Farrell Seymore...

Manatee High School

Manatee High School is an American public high school in Bradenton, Florida operated by the Manatee County School District.- History :What is now Manatee High School has had at least four names over the years and has had several different grade configurations during that time...

Mustang High School Moeller High School

Moeller High School

Archbishop Moeller High School , known as Moeller, is a private, all-male, college-preparatory high school in the suburbs of Cincinnati, in Hamilton County, Ohio...

Rosary High School

Rosary high school

Rosary High School may refer to:*Rosary High School, Fullerton, California‎*Rosary High School *Rosary High School *Rosary High School, St. Louis, MO...

Shenendehowa High School

Shenendehowa High School is a public high school located in Clifton Park, New York, part of New York's Capital Region. It is part of the Shenendehowa Central School District and serves the district's 9th through 12th graders. Students are divided between two buildings by their grade level. Both...

Southlake Carroll St. John's College High School

St. John's College High School

St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C., established in 1851, is the second oldest Catholic Christian Brother's school in the United States, and the oldest JROTC school. It was founded by Brother John of Mary, F.S.C., and two other Christian Brothers in St. Matthew's parish, 15th and G...

Summerville High School

- History :In 1924, a brick building on Main Street, which is now Rollings Middle School of the Arts, was the only high school in the Summerville area. As Summerville’s population increased rapidly in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a larger campus was needed. In 1969, the present building on...

Tonawanda High School

Tonawanda High School is a public high school located in the City of Tonawanda, New York. It is part of the Tonawanda City School District. The school's football field was at one time the home of the Tonawanda Kardex, a professional football team, who achieved fame by playing in just one game as a...

. Seminole High School

Seminole High School

There are several schools by the name of Seminole High School:*Seminole High School located in Seminole, Florida*Seminole High School located in Sanford, Florida...

Eden Prairie High School

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Miscellaneous

On April 22, 2009, baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. formed an alliance under which the performance apparel, footwear, and equipment company would have significant presence at several venues and events under the auspices of Ripken Baseball, including providing uniforms for the minor league Aberdeen IronBirds and youth teams participating in the Cal Ripken World Series this summer.

Product recalls

On April 29, 2009, the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of all Under Armour brand athletic cups. The cups, which were manufactured in China, may break when hit, posing a risk of serious injury. They were sold from January 2006 through March 2009.

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