The NFL Combine: Brought To You By Under Armour

The NFL announced today the selection of Under Armour, Inc., as the presenting sponsor of the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine.

All participants in the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine presented by Under Armour will be wearing Under Armour performance apparel designed specifically for the Combine, slated for February 18 - 24, 2009 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. In addition, there will be extensive Under Armour branding throughout Lucas Oil Stadium during the event.  Under Armour also will sponsor coverage of the Combine across multiple NFL platforms, including NFL Network, NFL.com and NFL.com Wireless.

Under Armour will sponsor NFL Network’s extensive combine coverage. Last year, NFL Network provided 26 hours of coverage that incorporated the use of a record 12 cameras, an on-screen graphics panel highlighting workout results, and interviews with participants following drills. Under Armour also will present the following features:

• NFL.com Combine Live, which will provide approximately three hours of live Combine coverage during each workout day on NFL.com to complement the coverage on NFL Network.

• NFL Network Video On Demand, which will be made available for download through select digital cable providers prior to the 2009 NFL Draft to give users a more in-depth look at the participants. NFL Network Video on Demand will feature 100 participant bios including exclusive Combine footage, providing fans better insight to the Draft.

In addition, Under Armour will have a presence at this year’s NFL Experience at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay. Under Armour will replicate some of the drills from the Combine at NFL Experience, including the “Run to Daylight” where fans will have a chance to run the 40-yard dash against video footage of a life-size NFL player.

I must say that I continue to love every move made by this entrepreneurial and innovative company.  It is definitely hard to take on a giant (in Nike and other established brands like Reebok and adidas), but in a short amount of time, Under Armour has already left an imprint on football (high school and college), baseball, and is now getting into basketball and professional football.  While its stock may fluctuate by the day (which stock is not volatile in this market?), I like its business plan and believe that the Under Armour brand is as strong as ever.  This is just one more step in the right direction.