In March, Under Armour announced it was teaming with Madison Square Garden to stage annual men's college basketball games. The inaugural doubleheader on Dec. 12 matches South Carolina against Seton Hall and Auburn versus Boston College.
All four teams are outfitted by Under Armour, which created a slogan for the twin bill: “Fight Like Family.”
Nike’s family is bigger.
In 2017, Nike will sponsor a 16-team college hoops tournament in Portland, Ore. The event is called PK80 and is to honor Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
The attendees includes Nike-affiliated heavyweights Duke, North Carolina, Georgetown, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas.
It’s a lineup that younger, smaller Under Armour can’t match, at least not now.
Under Armour-outfitted men’s hoops teams include Maryland, Notre Dame, St. John’s, Utah and Temple. The Baltimore brand has signed UCLA and Cal, which come on board in 2017-18.
Nike and Under Armour also both host high school basketball showcases each year.