Under Armour Strikes Deal with Major League Baseball: Report

BALTIMORE, MD — Baseball fans will see the Under Armour logo much more prominently in the years to come. That's because the Baltimore-based athletic wear company reportedly struck a deal with Major League Baseball (MLB) to provide its uniforms starting in 2020.

Majestic has been the league's uniform provider since 2005, but its contract expires in 2019.

Under the new deal, which is anticipated to be made public after the World Series, Under Armour and Fanatics will partner in producing the uniforms, according to Sports Business Daily.

Under Armour would design the uniforms, while e-commerce giant Fanatics would handle the rights to online retail, the sports site reported.

Under Armour has outfitted individual athletes, teams and parts of uniforms, but had not secured a deal with an entire league.

Since 2011, Under Armour has reportedly held the footwear licensing for MLB.

Recently, the University of Maryland extended its contract to have the company exclusively make the mighty Terrapins' uniforms for the next decade. Under Armour also provides uniforms for Towson University.

Through the MLB deal, the company stands to benefit substantially. Majestic's original contract was estimated to be worth $500 million, according to Forbes.

Headquartered near Locust Point, Under Armour has posted earnings of nearly $4 billion in 2015. Founder Kevin Plank, who started the company in 1996 out of his Georgetown basement at age 23, is among Maryland's elite crew of billionaires.

The company partnering with Under Armour in the MLB deal is also about 20 years old. Fanatics, based in Jackonville, Florida, was founded in 1995 with a single store and has blossomed in the online space, establishing warehouses in multiple states.

With Fanatics and Under Armour — a company known for attracting millennials — entering the MLB field together in the years ahead, the league's baseball uniforms may be updated to have a more youthful look.

Photo of Under Armour store by Austin Kirk via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons 2.0.

See Also:

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• Michael Phelps Stars in Under Armour Ad
• Baltimore's Under Armour Makes List of 'Top Attractors' for Job-Seekers