UNDER ARMOUR BASKETBALL

UNDER ARMOUR

BASKETBALL

BY - FRANKLYN CALLE

Since launching its basketball division in 2008, Under Amour has gone from being just another new brand in the sport to one of the most visible, recognized and active names in the world of high school basketball. UA has also taken a piece of the pie at the college ranks and even recently formed a new partnership with the NBA. At the prep level, 37 of the top high school basketball programs currently don Under Armour uniforms and footwear. The logo isn’t just visible on teams. Some of the top events in the high school circuit, such as the City of Palms Classic, NBPA Camp, Elite 24, I-95 Challenge and UA Best of the Best are also sponsored by the Baltimore-based company.

But last year a new event was introduced that may very well be on its way to joining the list of most prestigious showcases in the season calendar. On a freezing January weekend in Milwaukee, WI eight of the top teams in the nation converged for the inaugural Brandon Jennings Invitational. The Milwaukee Bucks star, who became the first Under Armour basketball endorser in 2008, was known in his prep days for being one of the most exciting players around, with his lavish moves and winner mentality.

“The whole point of it is to create a buzz of what Under Armour basketball is about at the high school level,” says Ted Gladue, Under Armour’s Senior Manager of Sports Marketing. “I think last year was a fantastic year one. I think we built a lot of equity that we can feed of. Essentially, just bringing our best high school basketball programs in a space where we can showcase a lot of our product and footwear mainly, but built something pretty special where teams would want to be with us. And this is our gift back sort to speak. When they leave Milwaukee, we want them to know what Under Armour basketball is all about and how progressive and innovative we are, and leave there with a notion that Under Armour basketball is for real and we’re here.”

Basketball is only a fraction of what this event is all about. The players will partake in a variety of activities that will lead up to the main event on Saturday. Most teams are expected to arrive by Thursday night. The next morning, all teams will get a chance to get some practice in and run-throughs. Then, legendary Maryland head basketball coach Gary Williams will address the participants about how to mentally approach the game of basketball as a player. Gladue points out that the Under Armour “Are You From Here?” national campaign is not quite in the literal sense but about being in that right mindset. And that’s exactly what Williams will look to preach to the kids—the definition of hard work, character, integrity, and being a good teammate, among other things.

In addition to Williams, UA is planning a workshop where the kids will learn about managing their brand, specifically in terms of social media and how they should portray themselves on and off the court. The players will also learn some of the fundamentals of personal finance. All participants will end Friday with a night out to Dave & Buster’s.

This year, the event expanded to 10 teams. Considering the rapid pace at which UA has been growing in the prep scene and the amount of nationally ranked programs that are now under the company, it has become quite a challenge for the brand to select which teams are to participate in the annual showcase. As for Under Armour, they’ll continue enjoying their climb in the game of basketball by staying involved at the grassroots level with events like the one taking place this weekend at Marquette University High School. “Here we are, three and half years in. We’re in it now. I think we’ve proven ourselves from a service and product standpoint—the way we cater to these programs, people know and see how we treat people,” says Glague. “I don’t think its anymore of a selling point now, it’s just about making sure people are representing our brand well. That’s the number one component for my group and myself. Lets make sure people represent us well. Our product speaks for itself. I don’t think it’s about selling it per say but you’re still competing with brands that have been around for a while.”