Under Armour and USA Football team up

Under Armour, Inc. which outfits and warms some of the top athletes around the world, just signed a deal to dress youngsters playing football.

Vienna-based USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels, had no previous outfitter prior to the deal with the Baltimore-based sportswear apparel company (NYSE: UA).

“It’s a partnership that goes through 2009 with a mix of cash, performance apparel and media,” said Steve Alic, director of communications for USA Football. “Under Armour represents a ground-breaking outfitter partnership for USA Football’s national team program.”

USA Football recently picked Chicago-based Riddell as its official football helmet and protective equipment partner.

USA Football will conduct more than 100 football training events nationwide this year that UA will provide apparel for.

USA’s members that benefit from the training sessions include coaches, game officials and league administrators, who reside in every state and D.C.

The partnership also gives UA the exclusive right to outfit USA Football’s 2009 Junior National Team, America’s first high school-aged national team in football. It will compete this summer, dressed in Under Armour uniforms, against seven other nations at the world championship in Ohio.

UA will also participate in USA Football’s grant program, which awards uniforms and equipment grants each year to youth leagues and high school football programs, based on merit and need.
UA’s existing youth partnerships include the Under Armour High School Football All-America Game, and it recently amped up its relationships with universities.

Late last year, Under Armour inked a deal to spend $11 million over five years to outfit the entire Texas Tech University athletic program.

In September, Under Armour and the University of Maryland athletic department announced a five-year, $17.5 million all-apparel pact.

Source: Washington Business Journal

HEAD Introduced New MicroGel Extreme Racquet Line

HEAD announced the launch of the new MicroGel Extreme Series featured by a revolutionary material called Teflon® friction reducing polymer. Teflon® friction reducing polymer has been integrated successfully in various branches and HEAD is the first brand to introduce it in the tennis racquet industry. The concept of reducing the friction between the racquet and the strings results in more power on the court.

The new MicroGel Extreme series will be available in January, fabricated with Teflon® friction reducing polymer mixed with Polyamide (PA = standard material for grommets), which is injected before the racquet’s molding process. The result is a racquet designed with a built-in lubricating effect that enables strings to glide fluidly through the grommets with nearly no friction, losing no energy during ball impact.

“The DuPont Teflon® friction reducing polymer is one of the premier innovations on the market today, and we’re extremely proud and excited to be teaming with this brand to improve tennis,” said Robert Marte, Executive Vice President of HEAD Racquetsports. “With its combination of MicroGel technology and Teflon®, the racquet series is one of the most advanced on the market today.”

The Teflon® friction reducing polymer also allows the racquet to maintain a constant and even contact surface over all the grommets, which creates a consistency in the string tension and offers a bigger sweetspot.

In addition to the Teflon® friction reducing polymer, the grommet strip extends around the frame as an inlay into the bumper, which is reinforced by high-resistance aramid fibers, which provide maximum protection against impact and abrasions from competitive court use.

- The MicroGel Extreme with Teflon® polymer offers a perfect combination of weight and balance, allowing it to be quick through the air while still providing rock-solid-feel

- The MicroGel Extreme Pro with Teflon® polymer offers the extra touch and power aggressive players want on the court

- The MicroGel Extreme Team with Teflon® polymer frame shares many of the characteristics of the tour racquets, ensuring maximum spin and power with a unique solid feel and touch.

In addition, HEAD introduced the new Tour Team bag line. The new bag lines are designed with extreme abrasion and dirt resistant material on the bottom; longer, padded shoulder straps; metal buckles; and a detachable, adjustable, convertible shoulder strap system. The new Tour Package is available now in pro/specialty and sporting goods stores.

*Teflon® is a registered trademark of DuPont and is used under license by HEAD Sport AG as of Jan. 1st, 2009

Source: Head