Stephen Curry and Under Armour have officially parted ways, marking a significant departure from their decade-long partnership that once catapulted the basketball superstar into the sneaker world.
The news came as no surprise, given the brand's decision to pivot its focus away from high-profile athlete endorsements in favor of more premium products and a repositioning aimed at strengthening its core brand. With revenues still in decline, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank acknowledged that "discipline and focus on the core UA brand" was crucial during this critical stage.
Curry, now free to explore his own sneaker deal, had already made his intentions clear by donning Nike Kobe shoes during a pre-game shootaround in San Antonio. The move served as a public statement, signaling his newfound status as a sneaker free agent.
The partnership between Curry and Under Armour began in 2013 but never quite lived up to expectations, particularly when it came to creating cultural cache and driving sales through resale value. As the brand's reliance on the Curry franchise continued to wane, Plank made the strategic decision to terminate the contract, citing a need for "product innovation and performance" that didn't align with the partnership.
With the Curry portfolio now estimated at around 2% of Under Armour's total revenue – down significantly from its peak – the brand is continuing to streamline its operations, including ending agreements with university athletic programs. Despite this, Curry will retain ownership of his eponymous business, which had previously been backed by the sportswear giant.
In a statement, Curry expressed gratitude for Under Armour's early support but acknowledged that sometimes "belief isn't enough" to create lasting impact. The parting of ways between the two was amicable, with Plank hailing it as an opportunity for both parties to focus on their respective strengths.
The news came as no surprise, given the brand's decision to pivot its focus away from high-profile athlete endorsements in favor of more premium products and a repositioning aimed at strengthening its core brand. With revenues still in decline, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank acknowledged that "discipline and focus on the core UA brand" was crucial during this critical stage.
Curry, now free to explore his own sneaker deal, had already made his intentions clear by donning Nike Kobe shoes during a pre-game shootaround in San Antonio. The move served as a public statement, signaling his newfound status as a sneaker free agent.
The partnership between Curry and Under Armour began in 2013 but never quite lived up to expectations, particularly when it came to creating cultural cache and driving sales through resale value. As the brand's reliance on the Curry franchise continued to wane, Plank made the strategic decision to terminate the contract, citing a need for "product innovation and performance" that didn't align with the partnership.
With the Curry portfolio now estimated at around 2% of Under Armour's total revenue – down significantly from its peak – the brand is continuing to streamline its operations, including ending agreements with university athletic programs. Despite this, Curry will retain ownership of his eponymous business, which had previously been backed by the sportswear giant.
In a statement, Curry expressed gratitude for Under Armour's early support but acknowledged that sometimes "belief isn't enough" to create lasting impact. The parting of ways between the two was amicable, with Plank hailing it as an opportunity for both parties to focus on their respective strengths.
anyway i think UA made the right call though. they needed a change and they cant keep relying on one athlete's endorsement. plus with his new deal im sure hes gonna get even more creative with his sneaks. dont @ me but i never got why he was so popular - the dude can shoot tho! 
anyways gotta respect curry for taking control of his brand tho 
and it's no wonder why... the numbers just weren't there anymore 
2% of total revenue is crazy low, especially when you consider how much hype he was supposed to bring 
i mean, they're pivoting towards more premium products and trying to strengthen their core brand, which is a good move, but it's too little, too late in this case 
curry's already testing the waters with nike kobe shoes 
now we'll see how that plays out...
i mean its been a wild ride watching them collab but the truth is they never quite delivered on that sneaker game 
i'm lowkey glad he's breaking free and exploring new options - maybe he'll find a better fit for his brand 
anyway, it's crazy to think about how much curry's business has taken off since leaving under armour 
. It's about time they focused on their core brand again. 2% of revenue is pretty low... I guess you can say the partnership didn't quite live up to expectations 
. Curry's still a genius on the court, but now he gets to make his own moves in the sneaker game 
. Guess it was just time for him to level up and explore other options 
when you try to make a brand cool but it ends up being like that one cousin at the family reunion 
. Curry's sneaker game is about to get a whole lot stronger 
i've been following this guy's sneaker game since like 2013 when he first started with them, and now he's just chillin' in nike kobe shoes 
it's crazy how the partnership just didn't quite work out. u feel me? they were all about high-end products and core brand focus, but curry was more about creating that sneaker culture vibe 
. anyway, it's cool that he gets to keep ownership of his own business tho 
. it's not like he's some kinda rookie who'd just jump to Nike willy-nilly 
. And now that he's free to explore other options, it'll be interesting to see what kind of collab he comes out with next 
. I mean, who didn't grow up watching him crush it on the court in those awesome Under Armour shoes? It's like, a big part of my sneaker collection nostalgia 
. And now he's just gonna start fresh with Nike... I don't know, man, it feels like another era has passed 
. But hey, I guess that's progress and all, right? 
. I mean, Under Armour's been trying to figure out what's going on with Curry's shoes for years now...and not really succeeding. It's like they thought having one superstar athlete was gonna make all their problems disappear 
. I mean, Under Armour just had to go and drop Curry like that? It's not like they couldn't see the writing on the wall - a 2% chunk of revenue is basically zero. I guess it's back to the drawing board for them... or maybe they'll just stick with their fancy "premium products" 
. Under Armour's revenue is still tanking, so I guess termination was the best call for them 
... and I feel bad for Curry, he invested so much in their partnership 
.