A report says Nike will supply MLB uniforms instead of Under Armour. The Armoury is the blog for all things Under Armour.
Source: Nike — not Under Armour — will supply MLB uniforms, report says
Just in case you’re wondering what my initial thoughts on the Under Armour and MLB deal were, here is a link to what I wrote:
Under Armour Gets Logos on MLB Jerseys… Why It Doesn’t Matter
If you took a moment to read the above post you realize that I thought this was a waste of money for the brand. Obviously they realized this as well. The brand is regaining momentum. Shareholders are once again excited by the promise of UA. Taking on such a cumbersome expense when the brand is just beginning to right the ship from their 3rd Quarter collapse in 2016 simply doesn’t make sense.
While Nike will own the major sports franchises uniforms in MLB, NBA and NFL, this means very little as all of these sports are seeing a decrease in attendance and viewership. The only sport potentially growing is the NBA and that’s because the game has grown internationally. The MLB and NFL have not grown internationally. People aren’t buying sportswear because of baseball and football and the underlying issue of counterfeits reigns supreme in jersey sales. That’s an issue UA didn’t need. Pulling back should inspire more confidence in the brand. I think it’s a smart move.