Under Armour has pulled out of a record-setting 15-year, $280 million apparel and footwear contract with UCLA because of losses stemming from the shutdown of college athletics due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Baltimore-based company said.
“Under Armour has recently made the difficult decision to discontinue our partnership with UCLA, as we have been paying for marketing benefits that we have not received for an extended time period. The agreement allows us to terminate in such an event and we are exercising that right,” according to a company statement posted on the sports apparel website Uniswag.
Bruins Athletics Director Dan Guerrero had previously said the school was resisting attempts to terminate the deal, and UCLA officials said that was still the case on Sunday.
“UCLA Athletics learned this week that Under Armour is attempting to terminate its 15-year apparel and footwear contract with us and the Bruin community. We are exploring all our options to resist Under Armour’s actions,” UCLA Athletics Director Dan Guerrero said in a statement. “We remain committed to providing our hard-working staff and student-athletes with the footwear, apparel and equipment needed to train and compete at the highest level, as they — and our loyal Bruin fans — deserve.”
The two parties entered into the deal in May 2016, in what was the largest apparel deal in NCAA history. Under Armour agreed to design and supply shoes, apparel and uniforms for all 25 of the university’s men’s and women’s varsity athletic teams beginning July 1, 2017, replacing the university’s deal with Adidas.
“UCLA has always been about challenging the status quo and breaking through barriers,” Guerrero said then. “Under Armour shares those core values. They are about more than simply making athletes look good, they constantly pursue innovation in order to make athletes better.”
Guerrero is scheduled to retire on July 1. He is being replaced by former Boston College athletic director Martin Jarmond.