On Wednesday, Under Armour founder Kevin Plank finally responded to widespread criticism following his voicing of his support for U.S. President Donald Trump. The initial statement was not echoed by Under Armour superstar endorsers that include Steph Curry and Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson. With the two-time MVP being at the peak of his superstardom, could he possibly walk away from the brand?
As noted by SB Nation, Under Armour had a massively underwhelming 2016, claiming to have earned $100 million less than its projections. A huge part of the projected sales came at the heels of a company record $153 million shoe sales in three months, following the release of Steph Curry’s first signature shoe – Curry One. Back in 2015, Kevin Plank told investors that shoe sales would make up an estimated 22 percent of its projected $7.5 billion in sales through 2017, according to ESPN.
But Steph Curry was on the other sphere of Kevin Plank’s pro Donald Trump comments. The Under Armour founder called the President an “asset to the country” to which the NBA star responded that Trump was only an asset if you removed the “et.” For his part, fellow high-profile Under Armour endorser Dwayne Johnson said that Plank was “lacking in perspective.” Steph Curry’s extension signed in 2015 could keep him with the brand through 2024. He was originally signed by Under Armour after Nike failed to match an offer amounting to less than $4 million.
The recent controversy has led to Kevin Plank buying a full-page ad in the Baltimore Sun, saying that his earlier statement “did not accurately reflect my intent.” Despite the backtrack, people have begun to wonder if Steph Curry will put his money where his political stand is and opt out of his current deal. “Yes, Steph Curry can terminate tomorrow if the contract gives him that ability, and on [Friday], he’d have a new deal because of who he is,” sports marketing expert Chris Chase told the Washington Post. “But it might not be as good a deal – for Nike, he might be one of 20 basketball players and may not be the featured guy.”
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