Under Armour Activates Sponsor Partnership With NFHS Network, PlayOn Sports

Under Armour Activates Sponsor Partnership With NFHS Network, PlayOn Sports

Under Armour continues to support the sports business that has a technology driven core, this time they have partnered with the NFHS Network, the nation’s groundbreaking high school multimedia corporation. The deal spans multiple years and allows Under Armour to become the first anchor partner of the company. The NFHS Network is a joint endeavor between the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), its member state associations and PlayOn! Sports, based here in Atlanta. The Sports Techie community blog readers and followers may remember our piece below about PlayOn acquiring Digital Scout earlier this year.

Digital Scout Added To PlayOn! Sports Company Portfolio | #SportsTechie

Under Armour Partners with the NFHS Network
The NFHS Network is a complete web site hub for viewing and supporting boys and girls high school sporting events live and with on-demand tech, anywhere across the nation. Prep sports fans can access any game from a variety of mobile devices to stay connected with their school, teams and favorite players. High School students, alumni and fans, parents and friends, can watch a game in real-time or archived whenever they want making this a premium outlet for sponsors.

Global Performance Brand Signs On as the First Anchor Partner
Under Armour (NYSE:UA) has headquarters in Baltimore, MD. By stepping forward as a NFHS Network sponsor, they will receive both traditional and digital media opportunities, including in-game promotions, featured prep content and pre-roll video ads, in addition to integrated website branding campaigns. Look forward to unique and original programming as the entities work together to drive eyeballs to the site with one-of-a-kind content.

“Under Armour is the brand of the next generation of great athletes. We are dedicated to partnering with the most innovative and authentic game-changers in team sports,” said Brian Cummings, VP of Team Sports, Under Armour. “Our partnership with the NFHS Network provides our brand with a unique and engaging opportunity to reinforce our commitment to the future of high school sports.”

The merging of the NFHS, member state athletic associations, and high schools, allows this NFHS Network Industry business model to capitalize on their significant first-year results. During the initial 2013-14 school year, the NFHS Network tallied over 3 million unique viewers that witnessed live broadcasts covering more than 28,000 events. With online coverage of 27 different boys and girls sports and activities, the NFHS Network is the largest portal for high school sports broadcasts in the United States.

“For the first time ever, the NFHS Network is giving students, communities and extended families the opportunity to connect to high school sports through live digital video. Nearly 50 million Americans identify themselves as high school sports fans and nearly 8 million students participate in high school sports and activities. The NFHS Network strives to serve and support both the athletes and their fans,” said Andrew Saltzman, Chief Revenue Officer, NFHS Network. “There’s no better partner for us than Under Armour as their brand and products resonate so deeply with our audience.”

Fans have access to a full selection of boys and girls varsity sports including:

• Football
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Bowling
• Competitive cheer
• Cross country
• Dance
• Field Hockey
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Lacrosse
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming/Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball
• Water polo
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

About NFHS Network The NFHS Network captures the passion, pride, and energy of the high school experience by delivering live high school sports and events to family members and fans whenever they want, wherever they are. The NFHS Network celebrates and showcases the unique accomplishments of students, whether they are a student-athlete participating in the 27 different sports covered by the Network, or one of the student broadcasters from schools around the country that produce events through the School Broadcast Program. All NFHS Network events are available online at www.NFHSnetwork.com. Follow the NFHS Network on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram at @NFHSnetwork for the latest news and event information. The NFHS Network is a joint venture among the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), its member state associations and PlayOn! Sports. The NFHS is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. PlayOn! Sports is based in Atlanta, Georgia and is the nation’s largest high school sports media company.

About Under Armour, Inc. Under Armour (NYSE: UA), the originator of performance footwear, apparel and equipment, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand’s innovative products are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. Under Armour’s wholly owned subsidiary, MapMyFitness, powers one of the world’s largest Connected Fitness communities. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland. For further information, please visit the Company’s website at www.uabiz.com .

About PlayOn! Sports
PlayOn! Sports is the nation’s premier high school sports media company. We are the largest rights holder, producer, and aggregator of high school sports events distributed across television, the Internet, and mobile devices. By combining State Athletic Association postseason content with the regular season events of member schools, PlayOn! Sports provides viewers the most comprehensive high school sports content available and marketers with a unique multi-media platform solution to reach teens, young adults and families. PlayOn! Sports is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., with offices in the Midwest and California.

Sports Techie, High Sports is a major part of the American culture with over 7 million boys and girls involved. Every day of the school year and during the offseason, youth athletes strive to be part of the high school athletic programs. Some make the team and others try but don’t make the cut, a lesson in life we take with us as adults. The numbers clearly show attendance at HS events are packed with people in every state. With the acceptance of social media as a societal norm, kids now expect to be able to find their performances on the Internet which they can on the NFHS Network.

With the era of mobile devices, it has never been easier to use technology to showcase prep sports to the masses, all the way down to Mom and Dad, boyfriends and girlfriends, and local fans who live in nearby cities, or any fan across the U.S. and world. Because of Under Armour, the HFHS Network now has a new corporate digital partner that will help shape future content with integrated campaigns, messages and programs.

My Dad coached me in hoops when I was in high school. I coached high school lacrosse at Redmond High School two years ago where I attended back in the day so it is easy to understand why every generation of kids loves watching video, studying stats and learning from performance analytics, just the same as they proudly wear a school jersey or use Under Armour training devices, apparel and shoes. Perhaps I will have the wonderful opportunity to coach my son should he choose to participate in high school sports, which has been growing steadily over the past 20 years.

PlayOn! Sports is located in my backyard of Atlanta so I look forward to providing continued coverage of the business relationships they create, such as this proactive NFHS Network partnership with Under Armour, that looks to shape high sports with a sports tech edge.

See y’all later in Seattle and here in Atlanta.

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