Sports Sponsorship
Sports Sponsorship Research Paper
Being an older sister to an extremely athletic teenage boy, I’ve seen it all when it comes to sports apparel. I’ve learned over the years what’s “cool” and “not cool”, and I know I’m not just speaking for my brother when I say that Under Armour is one of the coolest. But what makes Under Armour so cool? Why do so many athletes, young and old, choose Under Armour over the brands they’ve been so loyal to for so many years, like Nike and Adidas? Our generation was able to witness the brand grow; it began as a company selling only its tight-fitting, sweat absorbing shirts and has now become one of the top-selling sports apparel brands in the world, alongside Nike and Adidas. Of course Under Armour’s rapid success is extraordinary, but the young man behind it all, Kevin Plank is outright inspiring. He began by convincing a few football buddies to try out his gear at practice, and before long entire teams were hooked. About 15 years have gone by, and Kevin Plank is now known to be the creator of a billion-dollar business: Under Armour. The famous sports apparel brand not only holds endorsements with some of the biggest athletes in the world, such as Michael Phelps, Tom Brady, and Bryce Harper, but it also fully sponsors colleges such as Auburn University, University of Maryland, University of South Carolina, and Texas Tech University. Under Armour might not be up to par with its competition just yet, but at the rate they’re going, it won’t take long at all for them to catch up! In our book, Wall Street Journal claims that the sponsorship industry is, “one of the fastest growing forms of advertising.” A leading marketing executive refers to sponsorship as, “a high-end form of product placement,” and also says it is, “a unique way for companies to achieve exclusivity, a benefit not easily attained in more traditional forms of advertising” (WSJ booklet). The industry of sponsorship has continued to grow rapidly over the years
Being an older sister to an extremely athletic teenage boy, I’ve seen it all when it comes to sports apparel. I’ve learned over the years what’s “cool” and “not cool”, and I know I’m not just speaking for my brother when I say that Under Armour is one of the coolest. But what makes Under Armour so cool? Why do so many athletes, young and old, choose Under Armour over the brands they’ve been so loyal to for so many years, like Nike and Adidas? Our generation was able to witness the brand grow; it began as a company selling only its tight-fitting, sweat absorbing shirts and has now become one of the top-selling sports apparel brands in the world, alongside Nike and Adidas. Of course Under Armour’s rapid success is extraordinary, but the young man behind it all, Kevin Plank is outright inspiring. He began by convincing a few football buddies to try out his gear at practice, and before long entire teams were hooked. About 15 years have gone by, and Kevin Plank is now known to be the creator of a billion-dollar business: Under Armour. The famous sports apparel brand not only holds endorsements with some of the biggest athletes in the world, such as Michael Phelps, Tom Brady, and Bryce Harper, but it also fully sponsors colleges such as Auburn University, University of Maryland, University of South Carolina, and Texas Tech University. Under Armour might not be up to par with its competition just yet, but at the rate they’re going, it won’t take long at all for them to catch up! In our book, Wall Street Journal claims that the sponsorship industry is, “one of the fastest growing forms of advertising.” A leading marketing executive refers to sponsorship as, “a high-end form of product placement,” and also says it is, “a unique way for companies to achieve exclusivity, a benefit not easily attained in more traditional forms of advertising” (WSJ booklet). The industry of sponsorship has continued to grow rapidly over the years
Cited: Friedman, Susan. "Sponsorship: A Key to Powerful Marketing." Marketing – Information and Advice on Marketing Strategy, Marketing Plans, and Marketing Careers and Jobs. About.com, The New York Times Company, 2011. Web. 24 June 2011. Lainson, Suzanne. "The Creative Athlete: What Is Sponsorship?" Sports Career Planning. SportsTrust, 1998. Web. 25 June 2011. Linehan, Courtney. "Under Tech 's Armour: How a Synthetic Sports Apparel Brand Conquered Cotton Country." Lubbock Online. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 18 June 2011. Web. 24 June 2011. "Texas Tech Signs Exclusive Outfitter Deal With Under Armour." Texas Tech Official Athletic Site. CBS Interactive, 10 Nov. 2008. Web. 24 June 2011.