To put on the legendary Ron Burgundy: Steph Curry is sort of a big deal at Under Armor.
That makes perfect sense why the Warriors superstar will soon “have his own brand under the umbrella of Under Armor, just like Michael Jordan’s Jordan Brand did at Nike,” as Let’s Go Warriors recently reported.
And when Bleacher Report posted the news on Instagram on Monday, leading members of the basketball world paid tribute to the two-time NBA MVP.
Dwyane Wade: “Welcome to the ‘own’ brand club.”
Damian Lillard: “Love it.”
Bradley Beal: “(three emojis of fire).”
How long has this “own brand” thing been in the works?
Julie Creswell and Kevin Draper of The New York Times revealed some very important details at the end of January.
In the summer of 2018, two top Under Armor executives traveled to the West Coast on a critical mission. Kevin Plank, the founder and CEO of the sportswear company, and Patrik Frisk, its president and chief executive officer, were needed to persuade Stephen Curry, the star of the Golden State Warriors and the highest-profile endorser, not to leave the market.
Mr. Plank was not satisfied that Mr. Curry, whose incentive bond pays him millions of dollars a year, would rarely wear Under Armor clothing to NBA games. Mr. Curry was overwhelmed that sales of the signature Curry 3 shoes were weak.
At the meeting, participants found a solution that would show just how much Mr. Curry for the company meant. Mr. Plank and Mr. Frisk agreed to build a separate company around him, one reminiscent of what Nike had done for Michael Jordan two decades earlier. The company hired the former CEO who oversaw the establishment of the Jordanian brand at Nike to run the Curry brand and promised Mr. Curry much more involved in the development of his shoe. Mr Curry decided to stay, and a crisis was averted.
Curry’s contract with Under Armor runs through 2024, and is worth an reported $ 20 million annually.
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