Under Armour, Inc. Partners with Top Female Athletes Cat Osterman & Kimmie Meissner.
Softball All-Star and World Champion Figure Skater Add Undeniable Advantage to Repertoire
BALTIMORE -- Under Armour, Inc. (NYSE: UA) today announced the signing of two top female athletes, U.S. National Team softball pitcher and 2006's Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, Cat Osterman and 2006 World Champion and 2007 National Women's Figure Skating Champion, Kimmie Meissner. Both athletes will now be outfitted exclusively in Under Armour Women's performance gear. Meissner will wear Under Armour during non-competition ice-time and training, while Osterman will wear Under Armour branded apparel and footwear on and off the softball field.
"Under Armour searches for authenticity in all of its partnerships so we're thrilled to welcome Cat and Kimmie into the Under Armour family of elite athletes," said Bill Kraus, Under Armour's Senior Vice President of Marketing. "Just as Cat and Kimmie represent performance in all they do, every Under Armour product delivers performance because it's designed to make the athlete better. We believe every female athlete wants and needs the advantage Under Armour gear provides like no other."
The signing of these two elite athletes reflects Under Armour's priority in outfitting the female athlete, one of the company's top growth drivers for 2007. Under Armour first debuted its women's collection four years ago and it now represents more than 20% of the company's apparel business. The women's line, together with Under Armour's men's and youth offerings share a common goal of keeping athletes cool, dry, and light during a workout, practice, or game. The women's line is specifically designed, fitted and customized to help female athletes achieve peak performance in a wide variety of sports including running, softball, golf, tennis, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball and field hockey. Under Armour has outfitted the last three NCAA Field Hockey Championship teams: Wake Forest in 2004 and the University of Maryland in 2005 and 2006. In addition, Under Armour has outfitting deals with three pre-season Top 10 women's lacrosse teams including Duke, University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins.
Under Armour has a long history of cultivating relationships with athletes representing a broad spectrum of sports that embody the authenticity and passion of the Under Armour Brand. Osterman and Meissner follow in the footsteps of US women's soccer Olympic gold medalist Heather Mitts, Under Armour's first female athlete and key figure in the company's marketing efforts geared towards women. By adding Osterman and Meissner to the line-up, the Brand intends to further demonstrate its commitment to on-field authenticity while evolving its women's business.
