- Under Armour’s founder is returning as its CEO after a four-year hiatus.
- The brand was once a darling of the sportswear world but has struggled since 2017.
- Here’s the rise and fall of Under Armour.
Nearly three decades ago, Kevin Plank founded Under Armour. Now, he’s trying to turn the company around by stepping up for a second stint at its helm.
The sportswear brand said March 13 that Plank will take over its CEO role again more than four years after he left the position. In that time, Under Armour has gone through two other chief executives, with the most recent, Stephanie Linnartz, in the midst of a plan to turn around the business. The company has also struggled to define itself against competitors — most notably Nike.
But Plank is looking forward to being back at Under Armour, he said in a LinkedIn post confirming his return to the company.
“We have yet to create our defining product,” Plank wrote. “This is my obsession, and I am driven to propel our brand and industry forward.”
Under Armour wasn’t always the troubled brand that it is today. It once seemed poised to overtake the sportswear market in what seemed like a true Cinderella story.
From its rise to a once-$15 billion athletic-apparel empire to its slow decline, here is the complete story of Under Armour so far.
If you’re an Under Armour employee with a story to share, reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com
