Under Armour and Utah are slated to end their long-running apparel relationship upon their current deal’s conclusion next year, Sports Business Journal has learned. The parties agreed to a 10-year, $65M extension of their relationship in 2016 that runs through June 2027. It is not yet known which provider Utah will pivot to in the wake of the deal’s expiration.
Utah Athletics provided the following statement when reached by SBJ: “The University of Utah greatly appreciates its 18-year partnership with Under Armour, and has immense gratitude for the many benefits it has provided to our student-athletes. Utah Athletics and Under Armour have experienced significant growth in our nearly two decades as partners, including our moves from the Mountain West to the Pac-12, and now to the Big 12 Conference. Thank you to Kevin Plank and the team at Under Armour for their incredible support for the University of Utah, our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans.”
A spokesperson for Under Armour provided a separate statement when reached by SBJ on Monday: “Under Armour remains deeply committed to supporting student-athletes through its robust collegiate athletics program. While we have agreed to conclude our partnership with the University of Utah, we are proud of the support and resources we’ve provided their student-athletes, coaches and fans over the years. We look forward to completing a strong final year with the Utes.”
Utah is one of a handful Power Four schools to leave Under Armour for another apparel provider in recent years, including South Carolina and Auburn -- both of which switched to Nike over the last year-plus. The brand has, however, inked major extensions with Notre Dame (through 2034) and Wisconsin (through 2036).
