Morgan State announces five-year athletic apparel partnership with Under Armour

Morgan State’s athletic program will be outfitted by Under Armour, the school announced Monday.

The five-year, multimillion dollar deal with the Baltimore-based company will provide Under Armour uniforms, apparel, gear and equipment for student-athletes, coaches, athletic department personnel and the campus community.

“Morgan State is excited to begin our new partnership with Under Armour as we look to provide our student-athletes the best possible resources to excel on the national stage,” said athletic director Dr. Edward Scott said in a statement.

“As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, this newly formed partnership between Morgan and Under Armour makes perfect sense for the City of Baltimore, Morgan State University and Under Armour. As we went through our process it became clear that Under Armour is uniquely positioned to tell our story and to help grow the brand of Morgan Athletics.”

In a video posted to Twitter, Morgan State, which used to be outfitted by Adidas, offered a glimpse of what new uniforms could look like for its football and basketball teams. The affiliation will make its debut when the 2020-21 NCAA basketball season begins Nov. 25.

Morgan State will be among 11 area schools joining Under Armour’s list of sponsorships, including Maryland, Navy, Loyola Maryland, Mount St. Mary’s, Towson, UMBC, Frostburg, Goucher, Johns Hopkins and McDaniel. The school additionally becomes the third HBCU to be outfitted with Under Armour, joining Hampton and Howard.

“Under Armour is proud to support Baltimore’s own, Morgan State University, in their athletic endeavors,” the company stated in a press release. "Our goal is to provide the Bears' student-athletes a competitive edge as they seek excellence in their daily goals with best-in-class performance innovations.

“Morgan State University is the latest HBCU partner on a roster that includes Hampton University, Howard University, Southern University, Texas Southern University and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). We’re proud to support these student-athletes on and off the field, standing with them and for them.”

Under Armour discontinued a record-setting $280 million deal in June with UCLA. The university subsequently filed a lawsuit against Under Armour in August, seeking $200 million in damages. Under Armour contends that it didn’t breach the contract, due to the COVID-19 disrupted season. Temple and Under Armour parted ways after signing a 10-year extension in 2015 worth $30 million.

On Monday, shareholders alleged in a revised class-action lawsuit that Under Armour and founder Kevin Plank resorted to “sales tricks” and improper accounting to attain unrealistic sales goals as the brand’s popularity faded. Under Armour shares have fallen from over $40 a share in early 2016 to trading around $13.90 Monday. The company said Monday it believes the allegations are without merit.

The apparel giant has signed WNBA Bella Alarie, Kaila Charles and Tyasha Harris in recent months to bolster its outreach to women. Under Armour additionally released Philadelphia Sixers center Joel Embiid’s first signature shoe, the UA Embiid One Origin, on Sept. 18.

This story will be updated.