The Baltimore Ravens Just Signed a 10-Year Deal With This Entrepreneur-Led Company
The deal re-ups the partnership between the NFL team and one of Baltimore’s biggest entrepreneurial success stories.
This week, the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens announced they have renewed their partnership with the popular Baltimore-based sports apparel company, Under Armour. The agreement means the collaboration will extend for at least another 10 years.
“Under Armour and the Ravens share deep roots in Baltimore, and this 10-year extension marks a meaningful milestone in how we continue to show up for our city,” Trey Evans, Under Armour Director of Americas Team Sports Marketing, said in the announcement. Evans continued, “Together, we look forward to bringing new experiences to Ravens fans and continuing to grow the game for young athletes.”
Under Armour, a prominent athlete-first brand that first
Under Armour, a prominent “athlete-first” brand that first began in CEO and founder Kevin Plank’s Baltimore basement in 1996, began officially working with the Ravens in 2012, after signing an initial agreement with the team. At the time, the move meant that the Ravens training facility in Owings Mills would become the “Under Armour Performance Center.” The agreement included 25 grants of $1,000 each to youth football programs, along with other community initiatives.
“I think bringing two brands together that all Baltimoreans are proud of, to get out there and maybe bring a little bit more to the table, I think it will be fun to do,” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said in an announcement at the time. He continued, “There is nobody else I am going to do this deal with,” Bisciotti said. “I love being associated with this brand.”
Kevin Plank echoed Bisciotti’s enthusiasm, saying that the union meant the brands were “twice as strong.”
The daily digest for entrepreneurs and business leaders
An Inc.com Featured Presentation
As he once told Inc., Plank started Under Armour in 1996 as a 24-year-old former walk-on fullback at the University of Maryland. He had $20,000 in his bank account and went into $40,000 of debt spread across five credit cards, and, in an attempt to cover payroll, lost his last $2,000 gambling in Atlantic City. He stepped down as CEO in 2019, and returned in 2024 to lead the company’s turnaround.
After 30 years in business, the company, which
After 30 years in business, the company, which is an Inc. 5000 alum, is now in more than 140 countries, and is one of the highest grossing sports apparel brands in the world. Last year, Under Armour (NYSE: UAA) generated $4.97 billion in total revenue, though the company recently lowered its sales forecast for 2026, due to softening demand.
Since the partnership with the Ravens started 14 years ago, the relationship has only deepened, as the businesses have worked together on some major initiatives. In 2021, the partners began providing grant funding to schools that were members of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletics Association (MPSSAA) for the development of high school girls’ flag football programs.
Source: www.inc.com
