Hypebeasts know that when it comes to this sneaker shit, Jordan Brand has been wearing the crown for almost 40 years. Since its debut in 1984 with the Air Jordan 1, Nike has been flooding the streets with some of the coldest footwear to ever touch the market. And eager to challenge its reign and compete for a piece of the pie, Under Armour has unveiled a similar partnership with NBA superstar Steph Curry.
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On Monday, Under Armour announced the launch of Curry Brand, which will see its seven-year relationship with the three-time NBA champ expand into a new line that will include sneakers, accessories and apparel for a multitude of different sports. Initially, the legacy brand will focus on basketball and golf, but eventually, it will expand to include performance gear and running products for both men and women.
Curry Brand will be much bigger than just sneakers and basketball shorts, however, as a percentage of the brand’s yearly revenue will be redistributed into “under-resourced communities,” according to Under Armour. By 2025, the brand “aims to create at least 20 safe places to play, support 125 programs that impact young athletes and deliver opportunities to train more than 15,000 coaches—making an overall impact on more than 100,000 youth.”
Those are pretty lofty expectations, but with Curry’s vision and Under Armour’s resources and ability to execute, expect Curry Brand to make some major moves in the coming years.
“We have a shared goal of unlocking play for kids, so that became a natural place for us to focus,” Curry said in a statement. “I grew up doing a lot of things to give back to the community with my family—and continue that now—while Under Armour has done so much to support athletes around the world.”
Curry and Under Armour joined forces in 2013 and in the years since the two-time MVP has not only become a household name, but he’s played a key role in the sports equipment company’s increased popularity.
“For many years, Stephen and Under Armour have worked together in partnership—a partnership built around shared values,” Patrik Frisk, Under Armour’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “Through this brand, we have an opportunity to push forward our vision for a better world, especially for young athletes facing challenges with access and opportunity for sport.”
Be on the lookout for CurryBrand.com to debut this week, and if you’re in the spirit of giving—tis the season, after all—their performance basketball sneakers drop on Dec. 11.
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