Under Armour, the renowned athletic apparel brand, was founded on September 25, 1996, by Kevin Plank. At the time, Plank was a 24-year-old former special teams captain of the University of Maryland football team. He started the business in his grandmother’s basement in Washington, D.C., with a trunk full of apparel and a vision.
Plank’s initial breakthrough came at the end of 1996 when he made his first team sale, generating $17,000 in revenue. This success propelled him to move his operations to Baltimore. The inspiration for Under Armour came from Plank’s experience as a fullback, where he grew tired of the sweat-soaked T-shirts worn under his jersey. However, he noticed that his compression shorts stayed dry during practice. This led him to develop a T-shirt using moisture-wicking synthetic fabric.
After graduating from the University of Maryland, Plank created a prototype of the moisture-wicking shirt and distributed it to his former teammates and friends who played in the NFL. The positive feedback encouraged him to refine the design further, resulting in a new T-shirt made from microfibers that effectively wicked moisture away.
The introduction of Under Armour’s innovative apparel caught the attention of major competitors such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok, who soon followed suit with their own moisture-wicking lines. Plank chose to spell “armour” with the British variation to secure a toll-free vanity number.
The brand gained significant recognition when a front-page photo of USA Today featured Oakland Raiders quarterback Jeff George wearing an Under Armour mock turtleneck. This exposure led to Under Armour’s first major sale, with Georgia Tech’s equipment manager requesting 10 shirts. Contracts with other Division I football teams, including NC State and Arizona State, quickly followed.
By the end of 1996, Under Armour had already sold 500 HeatGear shirts, generating $17,000 in revenue. The following year, Plank faced the challenge of fulfilling $100,000 worth of orders and found a factory in Ohio to manufacture the shirts.
Since its humble beginnings, Under Armour has expanded its product lines, introducing ColdGear, TurfGear, AllseasonGear, and StreetGear. Today, it stands as a globally recognized brand in the athletic apparel industry, thanks to Kevin Plank’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to creating high-performance clothing.
In conclusion, Under Armour’s creation in 1996 marked the beginning of a revolutionary approach to athletic apparel. From a basement operation to a global brand, Under Armour’s commitment to innovation and quality has solidified its position in the market.
