Every Saturday during the fall, I find myself staring at the Notre Dame sidelines, not just to see the plays unfold but to see what Marcus Freeman is wearing. The man has a gift for making Under Armour gear look sharp. There’s just one problem — the rest of us can’t buy it.
Under Armour pushes out its so-called “Coach’s Collection,” but let’s be honest — it’s a knockoff. It’s not the same quarter-zip, not the same fit and certainly not the same shiny emblem. Fans aren’t fooled. What we want is the exact sideline gear our head coach is wearing, not the watered-down version.
I don’t pretend to know UA’s margins, but if they’re pulling 50% profit on the $100 items they’re selling now, I’d wager they’re leaving a fortune on the table. There are hundreds of thousands of Irish fans who would gladly pay much more for the real thing. That shiny emblem, that authentic cut — that’s what drives loyalty.
Consider this: Notre Dame’s endowment is nearly 9 times greater than Under Armour’s entire market cap. Under Armour's stock is down 56% over the past five years. Maybe it’s time for ND to stop being the customer and start being the owner? If Nike can turn Oregon into a fashion runway for college football, why can’t Notre Dame take over UA and make it the gold standard for fan gear?
And I’m not the only one asking. This question is posed constantly across social media platforms by frustrated fans, all wondering why the sideline gear is off-limits. I’ve even reached out directly to Under Armour’s retail design team for an answer, and I’ve heard nothing back. Silence doesn’t exactly inspire brand loyalty.
Notre Dame is about tradition, passion and excellence. It’s time for our apparel partner to play at that same level.
Paul Laughlin
Class of 2008
Sept. 30
