Under Armour, Inc. is an American athletic and sports apparel brand, founded in 1996 in Baltimore, Maryland by Kevin Plank. Originally a compression apparel company, Under Armour expanded into footwear in 2006 and has grown into a significant global athletic brand — competing with Nike and adidas in basketball, running, training, and performance apparel.
Founding and early growth
Kevin Plank founded Under Armour in 1996 while playing football at the University of Maryland. The original product was a compression tee designed to regulate body temperature during athletic activity. The company rebranded "Under Armour" in 2003 (from "KP Sports") and went public in 2005.
Curry signature line
Under Armour's most culturally significant footwear product is the Stephen Curry signature line. Curry signed with UA in 2013 after leaving Nike, and his first signature — the Curry 1 — launched in 2015 during his MVP season. The line has continued through:
- Curry 1 (2015)
- Curry 2 (2015) and Curry 2.5
- Curry 3 (2016) — "Chef Curry" era
- Curry 4 (2017) — championship-era design
- Curry 5 (2018)
- Curry 6 (2018)
- Curry 7 (2019)
- Curry 8 (2020)
- Curry 9, 10, 11, 12 — continued annual releases
Stephen Curry's Curry Brand spun off as a dedicated sub-brand within Under Armour in 2020, emphasizing his personal creative direction and philanthropic initiatives ("Underrated Tour" youth basketball).
HOVR technology
Under Armour's HOVR is a proprietary compressed foam cushioning technology introduced in 2018. HOVR is positioned as UA's answer to adidas Boost and Nike React, providing responsive energy return. HOVR is used in the Curry line (post-Curry 7), UA HOVR running silhouettes, and various training models.
Project Rock
Under Armour's Project Rock line is a multi-year collaboration with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The Project Rock Delta (training shoe), BSR (basketball silhouette), and various apparel pieces have produced one of UA's most commercially successful celebrity partnerships.
Market position
Under Armour is the third-largest athletic brand globally (behind Nike and adidas). The company generates approximately $5.5 billion in annual revenue. While Nike and adidas dominate sneaker culture, Under Armour's focus on performance-first athletic gear has established a loyal customer base among competitive athletes and fitness enthusiasts.