At the young age of 23, Kevin Plank, former special teams captain on the University of Maryland’s football team, saw room for improvement with his own athletic gear in practice. After growing frustrated with changing cotton T-shirts under his pads, Plank set his sights on finding a sweat-wicking material — the bedrock of Under Armour’s success. In less than a decade, Plank became the official outfitter of his own team: the University of Maryland.
Suiting up his alma mater helped open up the gates to the company’s big debut into footwear, which ended up on the football field as well. The unveiling of Under Armour footwear was no subtle introduction — the company locked in the title of official footwear supplier of the NFL in 2006. Soon after, Under Armour broke into training, running, and, eventually, basketball footwear by securing one of the biggest breakout stars in the NBA, Stephen Curry, which marked the inauguration of his first signature shoe line, the Under Armour Curry.
HOVR Tech
Ushering in a new era of Under Armour innovation is Under Armour HOVR, the company’s newest take on cushioning technology. HOVR focuses on premier cushioning while providing top-of-the-line energy return with every stride. The tech can be found on the hardwood with the HOVR Havoc, and in Under Armour’s running lines in the HOVR Phantom, giving athletes long-lasting cushioning to perform at the highest level.
