With the help of several high-profile athlete endorsements — namely with Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry — as well as a string of buzzy amateur basketball tournaments, Under Armour is making serious strides among college athletes.
Results from a new CBS Sports poll suggests that the Baltimore-based athletic brand now has a greater influence in college basketball than rival sneaker brand Adidas.
The survey, conducted by CBS Sports college basketball writers Gary Parrish and Matt Norlande as a part of their Candid Coaches series, polled more than 110 coaches at Division I colleges and universities across the country.
For years, Nike has dominated the athletic sports arena, with several key brands dueling for the No. 2 rank.
Asked “If Nike is still No. 1, who is No. 2 on the shoe-company totem pole now: Adidas or Under Armour,” 76 percent of the coaches polled picked Under Armour, while 24 percent chose Adidas.
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Several coaches also offered revealing commentary regarding their selection.
“The answer is Under Armour. [They’re] really organized [and] invested in their teams and kids. [The brand has] a lot of pop right now. They’re doing a great job with getting high-profile colleges, and they have [Stephen Curry]. Their momentum is tremendous and popularity at an all time high from grass roots, to college to the NBA,” one respondent said.
Another coach, who selected Adidas as the No. 1 shoe brand, said of his choice: “Adidas remains No. 2 in my book. Under Armour makes a tremendous effort to involve themselves in grass roots, and have successfully latched on to some of the top prospects in the country. However, Adidas still carries a brand-name legitimacy that Under Armour cannot touch.”
