Auburn, Alabama – Bruce Pearl was familiar with Auburn and Under Armour before taking over as basketball coach at the institution.
“You can’t recognize an Auburn football outfit without an Under Armour emblem on it,” Pearl explained.
Auburn’s relationship with Under Armour, which began in 2006, will be extended with a new nine-year, $78.1 million contract, the school and the sports clothing manufacturer said Thursday. The new contract includes $22.5 million in cash and $10 million in Under Armour shares, and it continues until the middle of 2025.
Auburn Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs stated that the new deal “gives us even more opportunities to improve our entire student experience.”
“Under Armour recognized the strength of Auburn’s brand.” They are honoring us for the strength of our brand, how we conduct business, and how our students represent us. We can take it and do much more to support our student-athletes.”
Jacobs stated that the pact “gives us the strongest clothing and footwear collaboration in the Southeastern Conference.” It is ranked among the top five in the nation.”
David Benedict, the athletic department’s chief operating officer, stated that the new contract renews the school’s trust in Under Armour.
“What this says is that both Auburn and Under Armour respected the prior 9½ years,” Benedict explained. “We’ve decided to keep our collaboration for the foreseeable future.”
Under Armour stated that it was pleased to renew the connection.
“The Tigers are part of our brand’s legacy, and we are excited to have them as a vital part of our future,” said Adam Peake, Under Armour’s Executive Vice President, Global Marketing.
Auburn, which was among the first colleges to sign with Under Armour, renegotiated the final year of its previous 10-year contract as part of the new deal. The $78.1 million contract is worth $8.68 million per year to Auburn sports, surpassing the previous 10-year pact, which was worth $36.5 million and paid the school $3.5 million yearly.
“Our goal is to treat all of our sports in the same way,” Benedict explained.
Under Armour will also contribute funding for event marketing and athletic facility graphics. Benedict stated that Auburn will also appear in Under Armour commercials.
“They’re going to do some things for a national advertising campaign that will include us,” Benedict stated. “Those are some actions taken early in our partnership. They want to do it again several times under the new contract.”
Since Auburn joined, Under Armour has signed a number other colleges, including two of the sport’s most well-known players, NBA MVP Stephen Curry of Golden State and Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth.
Pearl mentioned Under Armour.
“They have Steph Curry, Maryland’s top preseason team, and they had more teams in the NCAA Tournament last year than ever before. “And their grassroots basketball has improved,” Pearl explained. “Now, we’re attempting to offer Under Armour a return on their basketball investment.”
