Under Armour

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paultzman

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Re: Under Armour
« Reply #40 on: May 02, 2013, 02:36:32 PM »
Matt Mirchin


"When it comes to getting a start in sport management, the general consensus among the alumni speakers was that any opportunity is a good one. Matt Mirchin '82SVC, Senior Vice President of Sales, Under Armour, shared with attendees that he started with an internship with the New Jersey Nets. After graduating, he became a Regional Sales Manager with the NBA. “Anything is possible,” Mirchin said.  “Look at Under Armour, founded in 1996 by football player Kevin Plank – we’ve grown into an $800 million dollar company. We’re even in the (performance) footwear business now.”

http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/graduate/professionalstudies/events/pr_alu_081027.news_item@digest.stjohns.edu%2Falumni%2Fpr_alu_081027.xml
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 02:41:46 PM by paultzman »

redslope

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Re: Under Armour
« Reply #41 on: May 02, 2013, 03:23:45 PM »
I purchased a UA shirt for running outdoors in the winter and have found it to be quite good-keeps you warm while holding down the sweat as advertised.  Would buy another.  However, I haven't tried any of their sneakers and would want to know if anyone on the board has and how they were.  I have seen alot of folks with the shirts but not much with the footware.

Moose

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Re: Under Armour
« Reply #42 on: May 02, 2013, 03:27:43 PM »
I purchased a UA shirt for running outdoors in the winter and have found it to be quite good-keeps you warm while holding down the sweat as advertised.  Would buy another.  However, I haven't tried any of their sneakers and would want to know if anyone on the board has and how they were.  I have seen alot of folks with the shirts but not much with the footware.

No question they made their money in apparel first.  And footwear is coming along.
Remember who broke the Slice news

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #43 on: May 02, 2013, 03:35:13 PM »
Done deal. Nike wasn't willing to come even close to what UA offered. You'll see a lot of promotional buzz with the switch.
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Moose

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Re: Under Armour
« Reply #44 on: May 02, 2013, 03:37:45 PM »
Done deal. Nike wasn't willing to come even close to what UA offered. You'll see a lot of promotional buzz with the switch.

Dave you like the move?
Remember who broke the Slice news

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #45 on: May 02, 2013, 04:09:12 PM »
Rysheed Jordan also played for a Under Armour sponsored AAU team.

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #46 on: May 03, 2013, 04:55:48 PM »
Looking at the other schools that UA sponsors, we're definitely one of, if not the most high profile school they have. Should get a lot of promotion from them. Wonder if anyone else will be joining St. John's this offseason.



I'd place us at #2 behind Maryland on that list of current UA schools. The thing that separates us from Maryland though is the #1 market in the US. We are natural attention getters even if we are just on the bubble. When we make the tourney all eyes are on us in the metro area. This helps UA a ton and overall I see us as the flagship program that really gets them to the big market and into NYC area culture. I hope the new jerseys are fresh, different, but sharp and neat. I would think that being at worst UA's #2 flagship program they will really start to give us new concepts to get UA attention nationally just like Nike did for Nova, G'Town, etc. We clearly weren't on the good side of Nike...we were the red-headed step child in that regard.

I constantly check for new stuff and Nike does NOTHING! No new t-shirts, no new sweatshirts, no new jerseys, no new nothing. Just the same old bland stuff. Hopefully UA told SJ that they would treat us among their very best schools and make sure to promote us more with cooler jerseys. The only thing I take issue with is the UA shoes...they are flat out ugly from what I've seen and have been known to be cumbersome and not so flexible. Hopefully they prove me wrong. Anyway, I think the tide is turning and eventually a lot more big name schools will choose UA. Nike only has a select group of schools it really cares about (Nova, G'Town, UConn, etc) so I would imagine others follow suit especially if they give us good gear.

By the way, I remember hearing about "rebranding"...is this what they meant, or are we going to get new alternative logos too? It would be the perfect time if they wanted to with everything new.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2013, 05:04:44 PM by RedStormyNight »

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #47 on: May 03, 2013, 05:13:31 PM »
NY Metro market does make it a good pickup for UA but Auburn is arguably the biggest athletic program on that list with recent Football Nat'l Championships.  Yeah, it's in the middle of nowhere, albeit an area with two great RTJ golf courses, but it's a big brand in the far larger sport of college football.  Given the low level of success and therefore national awareness of St Johns the past decade I think it's a bit presumptuous to put them #1 but who knows what the future holds.  A run and a couple more draft picks and it get's pretty darn close.

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #48 on: May 03, 2013, 05:15:05 PM »
Rebranding would make sense.  Get a new mascot, a new logo, new color scheme and if we have a big year it will catch on.  Under Armour is very good with that type of stuff so I don't mind handing them the keys.  A bird and just our name written out are the two most generic logos you can get.  Time to spice it up.

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #49 on: May 03, 2013, 05:29:15 PM »
NY Metro market does make it a good pickup for UA but Auburn is arguably the biggest athletic program on that list with recent Football Nat'l Championships.  Yeah, it's in the middle of nowhere, albeit an area with two great RTJ golf courses, but it's a big brand in the far larger sport of college football.  Given the low level of success and therefore national awareness of St Johns the past decade I think it's a bit presumptuous to put them #1 but who knows what the future holds.  A run and a couple more draft picks and it get's pretty darn close.

100% disagree. First of all I'm only referring to basketball...it really has no other relevance than basketball for us. Basketball wise we have a better overall program including history than all those other schools except Maryland. That's where the #2 came from. Saying the NYC market means nothing is ignoring the #1 market's relevance. Look how the Brooklyn Nets gear has flown off the shelves...look how the Knicks gear has flown off the shelves...Yankee fitted caps are a national brand now. Now obviously these are pro teams and the Yanks have 27 rings, but still the NYC market is definitely responsible for the platform that made that trend "cool". Sorry but their current flagship school in Baltimore, Maryland is not exactly some marketing machine. UA has the opportunity to really incorporate the NYC skyline in shirts and other gear the way Nike refused to do.

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #50 on: May 03, 2013, 06:00:56 PM »
Why am I not surprised that you disagree. 

1.  Football > Basketball.  Sells a ton more logo gear. 
2.  St Johns is a minor program in the minor sport nationally AT THIS TIME.  Hopefully that changes real soon but no one outside of NY is buying SJU gear.
3.  NY Market means nothing in COLLEGE sports in general.  But specifically even for those in NY who DO care about college athletics 95% of NY's college interested market has allegiances to teams other than STJ. That's why Nike didn't bother to get more SJU gear into the market. No one was really interested.
4.  Don't disagree with your points on pro sports at all.

St Johns has potential but as of now it's unrealized.

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #51 on: May 03, 2013, 06:13:24 PM »
Why am I not surprised that you disagree. 

1.  Football > Basketball.  Sells a ton more logo gear. 
2.  St Johns is a minor program in the minor sport nationally AT THIS TIME.  Hopefully that changes real soon but no one outside of NY is buying SJU gear.
3.  NY Market means nothing in COLLEGE sports in general.  But specifically even for those in NY who DO care about college athletics 95% of NY's college interested market has allegiances to teams other than STJ. That's why Nike didn't bother to get more SJU gear into the market. No one was really interested.
4.  Don't disagree with your points on pro sports at all.

St Johns has potential but as of now it's unrealized.

1. But we are not talking about football...so what's your point? Football is irrelevant to St. John's basketball branding.

2. Minor program in a minor sport? Wrong on both counts. First of all SJ is #7 all time with wins, nearly 30 NCAA appearances, 5 NIT rings, a Final Four berth, Elite 8's, etc. which is enough to best 99% of the teams in the country right away. There are over 300 schools in the country. Maybe 50 meet that criteria if not much less. SJ has played in the best conference in all of CBB for a while now and we are still playing in one of the top conferences now. We play at MSG. This is D-1 high major hoops. This is not Grambling State basketball. Have you ever heard of the distinction between major and mid major? SJ is considered major due to conference.

You want to know a minor hoops school? Concordia. Nationally, CBB is easily regarded as the most exciting college sport to watch. In NCAAF the same teams are recruiting at the top and winning every year. There are no major upsets (maybe once every decade or 2) i.e. App State vs. Michigan. In CBB during March it's called madness for a reason...anything can happen, the unthinkable is routine. Everyone and their mother has an office bracket or ones with friends at home. Nationally, sure NCAAF is more popular because most of the nation is rural small towns, but in the biggest media markets, CBB tends to be the big city thing. NCAAF has a joke of a system for the championship. NCAAB perfected it.

paultzman

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Re: Under Armour
« Reply #52 on: May 03, 2013, 06:25:11 PM »
Why am I not surprised that you disagree. 

1.  Football > Basketball.  Sells a ton more logo gear. 
2.  St Johns is a minor program in the minor sport nationally AT THIS TIME.  Hopefully that changes real soon but no one outside of NY is buying SJU gear.
3.  NY Market means nothing in COLLEGE sports in general.  But specifically even for those in NY who DO care about college athletics 95% of NY's college interested market has allegiances to teams other than STJ. That's why Nike didn't bother to get more SJU gear into the market. No one was really interested.
4.  Don't disagree with your points on pro sports at all.

St Johns has potential but as of now it's unrealized.

1. But we are not talking about football...so what's your point? Football is irrelevant to St. John's basketball branding.

2. Minor program in a minor sport? Wrong on both counts. First of all SJ is #7 all time with wins, nearly 30 NCAA appearances, 5 NIT rings, a Final Four berth, Elite 8's, etc. which is enough to best 99% of the teams in the country right away. There are over 300 schools in the country. Maybe 50 meet that criteria if not much less. SJ has played in the best conference in all of CBB for a while now and we are still playing in one of the top conferences now. We play at MSG. This is D-1 high major hoops. This is not Grambling State basketball. Have you ever heard of the distinction between major and mid major? SJ is considered major due to conference.

You want to know a minor hoops school? Concordia. Nationally, CBB is easily regarded as the most exciting college sport to watch. In NCAAF the same teams are recruiting at the top and winning every year. There are no major upsets (maybe once every decade or 2) i.e. App State vs. Michigan. In CBB during March it's called madness for a reason...anything can happen, the unthinkable is routine. Everyone and their mother has an office bracket or ones with friends at home. Nationally, sure NCAAF is more popular because most of the nation is rural small towns, but in the biggest media markets, CBB tends to be the big city thing. NCAAF has a joke of a system for the championship. NCAAB perfected it.

Oh my!

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #53 on: May 03, 2013, 06:38:06 PM »
Why am I not surprised that you disagree. 

1.  Football > Basketball.  Sells a ton more logo gear. 
2.  St Johns is a minor program in the minor sport nationally AT THIS TIME.  Hopefully that changes real soon but no one outside of NY is buying SJU gear.
3.  NY Market means nothing in COLLEGE sports in general.  But specifically even for those in NY who DO care about college athletics 95% of NY's college interested market has allegiances to teams other than STJ. That's why Nike didn't bother to get more SJU gear into the market. No one was really interested.
4.  Don't disagree with your points on pro sports at all.

St Johns has potential but as of now it's unrealized.

1. But we are not talking about football...so what's your point? Football is irrelevant to St. John's basketball branding.

2. Minor program in a minor sport? Wrong on both counts. First of all SJ is #7 all time with wins, nearly 30 NCAA appearances, 5 NIT rings, a Final Four berth, Elite 8's, etc. which is enough to best 99% of the teams in the country right away. There are over 300 schools in the country. Maybe 50 meet that criteria if not much less. SJ has played in the best conference in all of CBB for a while now and we are still playing in one of the top conferences now. We play at MSG. This is D-1 high major hoops. This is not Grambling State basketball. Have you ever heard of the distinction between major and mid major? SJ is considered major due to conference.

You want to know a minor hoops school? Concordia. Nationally, CBB is easily regarded as the most exciting college sport to watch. In NCAAF the same teams are recruiting at the top and winning every year. There are no major upsets (maybe once every decade or 2) i.e. App State vs. Michigan. In CBB during March it's called madness for a reason...anything can happen, the unthinkable is routine. Everyone and their mother has an office bracket or ones with friends at home. Nationally, sure NCAAF is more popular because most of the nation is rural small towns, but in the biggest media markets, CBB tends to be the big city thing. NCAAF has a joke of a system for the championship. NCAAB perfected it.

Soooo nationally college bball is easily the most exciting college sport? Buuuut nationally college football is the most popular college sport?  Gotchya.

It angers me how popular college football is. I really like college football but I hate how much more love it gets than college bball.
*wipes ketchup from his eyes* - I guess Heinz sight isn’t 20/20.

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #54 on: May 03, 2013, 06:51:18 PM »
Why am I not surprised that you disagree. 

1.  Football > Basketball.  Sells a ton more logo gear. 
2.  St Johns is a minor program in the minor sport nationally AT THIS TIME.  Hopefully that changes real soon but no one outside of NY is buying SJU gear.
3.  NY Market means nothing in COLLEGE sports in general.  But specifically even for those in NY who DO care about college athletics 95% of NY's college interested market has allegiances to teams other than STJ. That's why Nike didn't bother to get more SJU gear into the market. No one was really interested.
4.  Don't disagree with your points on pro sports at all.

St Johns has potential but as of now it's unrealized.

1. But we are not talking about football...so what's your point? Football is irrelevant to St. John's basketball branding.

2. Minor program in a minor sport? Wrong on both counts. First of all SJ is #7 all time with wins, nearly 30 NCAA appearances, 5 NIT rings, a Final Four berth, Elite 8's, etc. which is enough to best 99% of the teams in the country right away. There are over 300 schools in the country. Maybe 50 meet that criteria if not much less. SJ has played in the best conference in all of CBB for a while now and we are still playing in one of the top conferences now. We play at MSG. This is D-1 high major hoops. This is not Grambling State basketball. Have you ever heard of the distinction between major and mid major? SJ is considered major due to conference.

You want to know a minor hoops school? Concordia. Nationally, CBB is easily regarded as the most exciting college sport to watch. In NCAAF the same teams are recruiting at the top and winning every year. There are no major upsets (maybe once every decade or 2) i.e. App State vs. Michigan. In CBB during March it's called madness for a reason...anything can happen, the unthinkable is routine. Everyone and their mother has an office bracket or ones with friends at home. Nationally, sure NCAAF is more popular because most of the nation is rural small towns, but in the biggest media markets, CBB tends to be the big city thing. NCAAF has a joke of a system for the championship. NCAAB perfected it.

We're talking about programs relative value to UA, not STJ's basketball branding.  You should know that, you started the debate.  That covers all sports, no matter how YOU choose to look at it.  Including football.  And your rose colored glasses view of hoops vs football is not shared in the real world of attendance, ratings, and most importantly $$$.  You and I were raised on LI where college football is immaterial.   We both became rabid college basketball fans.  I can see beyond my own bias.  You can't.  90% of the US was raised in an area where HS football is as, if not more, important than college basketball.

In a basketball only world I would agree  STJ's may be just a tad behind Maryland on that list for first . . . among a long list of also rans of course.  But this is not a basketball only world so that point is moot.

Besides, Blah, blah, blah ST Johns was great when the backboards were made of wood.  I get it.  That said TODAY they're borderline irrelevant in NY, how do you think they're positioned outside the greater metro area.  I hope with my very optimistic feelings about next year all that will change, then again so do fans of about 50 other programs in the country.  Luckily I think we're right and they're wrong.

But anyone buying SJU right now is buying purely on potential, potential that'll be tough but certainly not impossible to realize. On one point we agree and you are correct.  If St Johns can actually just get the city behind it that would raise their value exponentially and that's obviously the bet that UA is taking.   

To clarify my position on minor and major as it relates to this conversation and a school's value to UA, obviously anyone not a dope understands that Concordia isn't even part of this conversation, Grambling neither.  However, in college sports brands Ohio State is major, Northwestern is minor.  STJ may be a bit above Northwestern in athletic image but Ohio State can't even see them in the rear view mirror.

The other value a school can bring to UA is in $ but we won't go there at all.  In terms of merch who do you think sells more nationally, St Johns or South Carolina or Utah or Texas Tech or Northwestern.  Hint, all of the others probably.  Rabid alumni fan bases and all but Northwestern with f-all else to do.  Northwestern just sells a lot of merch because folks want to show off that they went to one of the best schools in the country.  Yes I still have my Cornell jacket I bought as a freshman.  I can relate. 

« Last Edit: May 03, 2013, 06:52:04 PM by yankcranker »

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #55 on: May 03, 2013, 07:00:02 PM »
Brevity needs to be learned and adhered to.
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paultzman

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Re: Under Armour
« Reply #56 on: May 03, 2013, 07:02:13 PM »
Brevity needs to be learned and adhered to.

Imagine these guys when you had to rely on smoke signals. A lot of timber!!!!

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #57 on: May 03, 2013, 07:07:58 PM »
Brevity needs to be learned and adhered to.

You sound like my boss.  ;)

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #58 on: May 03, 2013, 07:39:40 PM »
There is no doubt NCAAF is more popular nationally, that's not up for debate. What I mean is March Madness provides excitement NCAAF never can because it has no real playoff. NCAAB has parity...NCAAF has zero. All I care about is how SJ stacks up basketball wise. Why worry where you stack up in football when you don't even have a team? We are a pure basketball school clearly...so that's what we offer to UA. That's why the only thing I care about it where we stand vs. the other UA basketball schools. We are easily #2 on that list.

Re: Under Armour
« Reply #59 on: May 03, 2013, 07:46:28 PM »
There is no doubt NCAAF is more popular nationally, that's not up for debate. What I mean is March Madness provides excitement NCAAF never can because it has no real playoff. NCAAB has parity...NCAAF has zero. All I care about is how SJ stacks up basketball wise. Why worry where you stack up in football when you don't even have a team? We are a pure basketball school clearly...so that's what we offer to UA. That's why the only thing I care about it where we stand vs. the other UA basketball schools. We are easily #2 on that list.

OK, UA doesn't GAF about that but I agree with you.