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The NFL Combine: Brought To You By Under Armour

The NFL announced today the selection of Under Armour, Inc., as the presenting sponsor of the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine.

All participants in the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine presented by Under Armour will be wearing Under Armour performance apparel designed specifically for the Combine, slated for February 18 – 24, 2009 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. In addition, there will be extensive Under Armour branding throughout Lucas Oil Stadium during the event.  Under Armour also will sponsor coverage of the Combine across multiple NFL platforms, including NFL Network, NFL.com and NFL.com Wireless.

Under Armour will sponsor NFL Network’s extensive combine coverage. Last year, NFL Network provided 26 hours of coverage that incorporated the use of a record 12 cameras, an on-screen graphics panel highlighting workout results, and interviews with participants following drills. Under Armour also will present the following features:

  • NFL.com Combine Live, which will provide approximately three hours of live Combine coverage during each workout day on NFL.com to complement the coverage on NFL Network.
  • NFL Network Video On Demand, which will be made available for download through select digital cable providers prior to the 2009 NFL Draft to give users a more in-depth look at the participants. NFL Network Video on Demand will feature 100 participant bios including exclusive Combine footage, providing fans better insight to the Draft.

In addition, Under Armour will have a presence at this year’s NFL Experience at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay. Under Armour will replicate some of the drills from the Combine at NFL Experience, including the “Run to Daylight” where fans will have a chance to run the 40-yard dash against video footage of a life-size NFL player.

I must say that I continue to love every move made by this entrepreneurial and innovative company.  It is definitely hard to take on a giant (in Nike and other established brands like Reebok and adidas), but in a short amount of time, Under Armour has already left an imprint on football (high school and college), baseball, and is now getting into basketball and professional football.  While its stock may fluctuate by the day (which stock is not volatile in this market?), I like its business plan and believe that the Under Armour brand is as strong as ever.  This is just one more step in the right direction.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.