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Under Armour Analysis 1

A MARKET RESEARCH STUDY TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF SATISFACTION OF FRANKLIN PIERCE UNIVERSIRTY RINDGE STUDENTS WITH UNDER ARMOUR

PRODUCTS.

Prepared for:

Jason Little & Franklin Pierce University Staff

By: Jon Holmes, Jose Melo, Nick Kozel, Chris LaVorgna, Mike Donlan and Madison Klusendorf

A course paper presented to Programs to Business Administration

Marketing Research Franklin Pierce University Fall 2016


Table of Contents

Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………3 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….3 Background Information of the Organization Under Study……………………………………4 Nature of the Problem………………………………………………………………………….5 Purpose of the Project………………………………………………………………………….5 Problem Statement……………………………………………………………………………..6 Research Objectives……………………………………………………………………………6 Literature Review………………………………………………………………………………6 Franklin Pierce University Athletics History……………………………………….….6 Origin of Under Armour……………………………………………………………….7 Market Analysis………………………………………………………………………..8 Under Armour Target Market…………………………………………………………10 Product Analysis……………………………………………………………………….11 Methodology and Procedures………………………………………………………………….13

Problem Identification…………………………………………………………………13 Development of Survey………………………………………………………………..14 Definition of Population……………………………………………………………….14 Sample Size……………………………………………………………………………17 Data Collection Method……………………………………………………………….19 Assumptions……………………………………………………………………...……22 Limitations………………………………………………………………………….….22

Discussion……………………………………………………………………………………...26 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………………….26 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………...29 References……………………………………………………………………………………...30 Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………….....33


Executive Summary Athletic apparel defines athletes by allowing them to perform at the highest level

possible. They prioritize any impact toward their performances as a means to increase their

ability. Their apparel becomes a crucial part of their performance as it minimizes opportunity for

mistakes. Many brands that create such apparel follow this mentality religiously, realizing that

their product must function to the best of its ability.

Franklin Pierce University is a small school in Rindge, New Hampshire with a strong

focus on athletics. 52% of the campus is made up of athletes who compete on 25 various athletic

teams (Franklin Pierce University, p.1, ¶ 7). They recently made a sponsorship switch from Nike to

Under Armour. The two athletic companies create high quality apparel tested by athletes

worldwide. With the variety of athletes at Franklin Pierce and the awareness of two increasingly

expanding brands, it’s evident that there are multiple opinions on the brands from different types

of athletes.

This study's research on Franklin Pierce University students’ opinions of Under Armour’s

sponsorship evokes high importance for the institution’s options of products. By obtaining these

opinions, the university can define their athletes needs and allow them to perform to the best of

their ability.

Introduction

Athletics possess an unmatched power that is implemented mentally and physically. Each

athlete is faced with unbearable challenges; however, the persistence to battle can change failure

into extraordinary achievement. In the United States, one in three children between the ages of

five to eighteen par take in an athletic activity (Facts & Statistics, p.1, ¶ 1). There are currently

74.2 million children in the age bracket. This means that approximately 24.7 million children are


participating in athletics (p.1, ¶ 2). This demographic continues to soar as population rates

increase, which alludes to the need for athletic apparel and equipment. The athletic apparel

industry has been consistently increasing since 2008. In 2010, the athletic apparel industry went

from 28.58 billion U.S. dollars to 34.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 (National Sporting Goods

Association, p.1, ¶ 1). This displays a trend involving the desire to obtain athletic apparel among

the United States population.

Out of the 24.7 million children that par take in athletics, not all have the opportunity to

advance their athletic careers by committing to collegiate athletics. There are 480,000 student-

athletes in all three divisions of the NCAA (NCAA Recruiting Facts, p.1, ¶ 1). Franklin Pierce

University is one of the 1,092 universities that participate in NCAA programs (p.1, ¶ 2).

Characterized as a Division II, Franklin Pierce University provides growth opportunities through

academic achievement, high-level athletic competitions, and community engagement (Franklin

Pierce University, p.1, ¶ 4). Franklin Pierce University currently has 25 sports teams that are

sponsored by Under Armour. Under Armour recently became the sponsor of Franklin Pierce

University athletics after issues arose with Nike athletic apparel and equipment. The transition

from Nike to Under Armour began in Spring 2014 and was finalized by Fall 2015 (Franklin

Pierce University, p.1, ¶ 4). The student-athletes had to convert to this alteration. With this in

mind, changes had to take place in order to meet the requirements of the sponsorship with Under

Armour. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the sponsorship of Under

Armour is favorable.

Background Information of Organization Under Study

Located in New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce University is a small, liberal arts university


that strives to establish pride, passion and success (Franklin Pierce University, p.1, ¶ 1). With a

small population of 1,668 students (45% male students and 55% female students), this university

places emphasis on personal learning and achievement. Currently, the student to teacher ratio is

12:1, which displays this focus on high-quality instruction (p.1, ¶ 5). Founded in 1962, Franklin

Pierce University is a private institution known for its distinctive liberal arts heritage,

intellectually enriching faculty/student relationships, and excellence in graduate and professional

education (p.1, ¶ 6). At Franklin Pierce University, 81% percent of full-time undergraduates

receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant

award is $19,707 (p.1, ¶ 8).

Nature of the Problem

Athletics are an integral part of Franklin Pierce University. Each program has a profound

effect on the lives of every student athlete involved. The implementation of the Under Armour

brand was not a simple task. When faced with the decision of adopting and implementing a new

sponsorship, Franklin Pierce University had to evaluate various aspects. The satisfaction of the

student-athlete body is important when maintaining a beneficial partnership. For this reason, the

research will only involve student-athletes and coaches at Franklin Pierce University. This will

provide the needed insight for future endeavors in athletic affairs. By conducting this study,

Franklin Pierce University might be able to make the needed adjustments and alterations to

increase satisfaction.

Purpose of the Project

The purpose of this study is to determine the satisfaction of Franklin Pierce University

student-athletes and coaches with the Under Armour partnership. With data collection, an


assessment can be made to see if the conversion from Nike to Under Armour has been as

successful as it was meant to be. Feedback from coaches and student-athletes can help to

determine whether or not Under Armour's quality of customer service, products, and overall

image is better than that of Nike within each sport.

Problem Statement

Research is necessary to determine the level of satisfaction of Under Armour’s products

as a Franklin Pierce sponsor.

Research Objectives

1. Review the literature related to Under Armour sponsorships and products.

2. Assess the level of satisfaction of Under Armour products.

3. Assess the level of satisfaction with Under Armour’s customer service.

4. Assess the quality of Under Armour products for different sports.

5. Determine which brand is popular with Franklin Pierce students (Nike or Under Armour).

6. Determine if demographic profiles are associated with any of the above objectives.

Literature Review

Franklin Pierce Athletics History


Founded in 1962, Franklin Pierce University (formerly known as Franklin Pierce College)

is located in small town Rindge, New Hampshire. According to www.franklinpierce.edu, “This

University offers 25 varsity collegiate sports for both men and women and compete at the NCAA

Division II level in the Northeast - 10 conference” (Franklin Pierce University, p.1, ¶ 1). Franklin

Pierce’s mascot is Rocky the Raven and the University has coined the term Raven Nation including

fans and athletes alike. The Raven’s colors are crimson, gray, black and white.

For more than a decade, Franklin Pierce student-athletes had worn uniforms by sports

goods industrial leader, Nike. In the fall of 2014 and spring of 2015, there were many issues with

Nike apparel. For many athletes, Nike was filling out orders improperly and most of the apparel

did not fit comfortably. Also, many athletes, who ordered clothing prior to their season, would

have to wait longer than expected due to back orders and orders being lost in the mailing process

between Franklin Pierce and Nike manufacturers. Due to these issues, Franklin Pierce

transitioned to Under Armour as their athletic sponsor in hopes of better customer service, faster

delivery times, and overall greater product quality.

Origin of Under Armour

Under Armour was created in 1996 by a man named Kevin Plank. He was a “23-year-old

former University of Maryland special teams captain... turned an idea born on the football field

into a new industry that changed the way athletes dress forever,” (Under Armour, p.1, ¶ 1). The

movement created by Plank revolutionized the sporting world as he developed a product that

became necessary to a lot of people and at a high demand. Even though the products were

created in a basement, it didn’t get in the way of the main focus of the brand. The company

started with similar values that it continues to hold today, which encompasses high quality


products. Under Armour achieved this by engineering a shirt “with moisture-wicking

performance fibers... helps keep athletes cool, dry, and light in the most brutally hot conditions,”

(p.1, ¶ 2).

The revenue of the company grew astoundingly after their first year of production.

“When Under Armour was founded in 1996 it made $17,000 in annual revenue. In 2014 it made

over $3 billion with a market cap that's swelled to $15 billion,” (Baer, p.1, ¶ 1). In order for the

company to gain recognition, Plank would send product to professional football players to gain

recognition and feedback. “He sent prototypes to contacts in the NFL, like former Tennessee

Titans tight end Frank Wycheck,” (p. 3, ¶ 1).

“Word got around the NFL: Deion Sanders bought four shirts, with a personal check, The

New Yorker reported,” (p. 4, ¶ 1). During this time, Planks idea had begun growing much larger

than anticipated, leading to “the end of 1998... Under Armour outgrew grandma's basement and

moved to an all-new headquarters and warehouse in Baltimore,” (Under Armour, p.1, ¶ 5). This

growth came from the first team deals for Under Armour: Georgia Tech and North Carolina

State. From there, Under Armour gained recognition in the NFL, grew increasingly from their

advertising campaigns, sponsored iconic athletes, and turned into the world-renowned company

seen today.

Market Analysis

As a company, Under Armour resides in the sporting goods market. Products within this

industry include athletic apparel, footwear, exercise equipment, and sports specific equipment.

Consumers within this market include men, women, and children. Furthermore, companies target

people with active lifestyles and athletes, as well as any person who wants to wear what their


favorite athletes and teams wear.

As a whole, the sporting goods market is immense in size. For example, according to

Scarborough (2016), almost 93 million people bought athletic shoes in the United States alone

(p.1, ¶ 4). Additionally, the sporting goods market generated $64.8 billion in the United States, in

2015 (National Sporting Goods Association, 2016, p. 1, ¶ 4). Under Armour's main competitors

within this market are Adidas and Nike. Nike, the leading company within the market boasted

$30.6 billion in revenue worldwide in 2015. Adidas, the second leading company in 2015,

generated $18.48. Under Armour generated $3.96 billion in revenues in 2015 (Statista, 2016, p.

1, ¶ 3).

Competition within the market is strong because buyers have the power to change

between company products with no consequence. Since there is no cost of substitution for

consumers, innovation is an imperative aspect of success within the sports goods market.

According to Barrabi (2015), Nike and Under Armour are leading the market in terms of

innovation and newness for both men and women (p.2, ¶ 3). This shows that to be competitive

within this market innovation is a must to succeed.

Competition is also shown within this market by brand loyalty. To keep customers loyal

to their brands, Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour spend millions of dollars a year on ad

campaigns and sponsorship deals with the world's top athletes. It is difficult for a new company

to enter this market because so many consumers are already loyal to a brand because of each

company's public image through ads and sponsorship deals.

Power within the sporting goods market is highly volatile because consumers can change

where they buy their products based on new, innovative styles and products. They can also


change brands based on which athletes are seen wearing a certain company's products. However,

companies such as Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour are able to control the majority of the

market because they have the capital to spend more on innovation and marketing research to

keep consumers loyal to their brands.

Under Armour Target Market

Under Armour’s target demographic has changed since it was founded. Initially Under

Armour was targeting younger athletes, more so at the collegiate level. As their company has

grown they have expanded their target market to include men, women, and children of all ages.

This helps set them up for success in the future because widening the target market will increase

sales.

Under Armour targets athletes and those who wish to become athletes with the sole

purpose to make them better. A part of their mission statement states, “Every product we build

must be better than what's currently available on the market... And every product must make

athletes better” (Under Armour Mission, Vision & Values, p.1, ¶ 4). As you can see from their

countless advertisements with professional athletes they are trying to set a standard about what

type of athlete wears their product. This in return makes the target market (athletes) want to buy

and wear their products. This product is perfect for this market because there will always be new

collegiate athletes every year.

Under Armour has also targeted consumers with a healthy fit lifestyle and athletes in

various sports that have a strong desire for high quality comfortable fitting apparel and

accessories. It might be a misconception that mostly athletes buy their products but in fact Under

Armour generates a lot of revenue through their healthy lifestyle demographic (Trefis, p.1, ¶ 8).


Under Armour realizes that their products are relatively more expensive compared to

their competitors so they target consumers who are more financially stable and have higher

incomes. They understand that this makes it a little more difficult to be able to sell to everyone

but they know that the qualities of their products are second to none. More often than not, Under

Armour sells their products to wholesalers who are in financial stable, if not well off, areas

(Trefis, p.2, ¶ 3).

It was not until the last couple years where Under Armour was starting to target women.

After doing market research they realized that the majority of consumers that bought their

products were male. Under Armour saw this as an opportunity so that is when they decided to

target women with their marketing campaigns that featured women athletes (Trefis, p.1, ¶ 2).

Product Analysis

This study will focus on the partnership with Under Armour and Franklin Pierce

University. The definitions presented will pertain to analysis of the product offerings of Under

Armour.

Product Analysis: A product analysis can be defined as “a method for converting the product

description into project deliverables and requirements” (www.underarmour.com, n. d., p. 1, ¶ 3).

Under Armour sells a variety of different products, such as, apparel, footwear, sports equipment,

and fitness devices.

Apparel: Under Armour sells to both men and women athletes and also supplies an apparel line

for both boys and girls. This apparel consists of t-shirts, shorts, socks, pants, capris, long sleeve

shirts, sports bras, tank tops etc. Most of this apparel is targeted to athletes but is also open to


non-athletic customers. Under Armour’s target market is athletes and those seeking to live a fit

lifestyle. This means the majority of their clothing is athletic in style and material. Their apparel

is being created with the newest technology to give athletes the greatest chance to succeed.

According to www.uabiz.com, “the technology behind Under Armour's diverse product

assortment for men, women and youth is complex, but the program for reaping the benefits is

simple: wear HeatGear® when it's hot, ColdGear® when it's cold, and AllSeasonGear® between

the extremes (p. 2, ¶ 1). The heat gear line is used in the warmer weather to keep the athlete cool.

The cold gear line is used in the colder weather to keep the athletes warm while performing. The

infrared apparel line is designed to keep the athletes' body heat in to combat cold weather

conditions. The infrared apparel line is mainly used by high-performance athletes because while

it keeps body heat in, it is also lightweight and comfortable.

Footwear: Under Armour produces a variety of footwear including those used for training, mid

distance running, long distance running, hiking boots, and sandals. Even though Under Armour

sells products in a variety of styles, UA specializes in running and training footwear. Under

Armour sells footwear to men, women, and youth. The top three best sellers in footwear are the

Speedform Apollo, Speedform Gemini 2.1, and the UA Micro G Limitless 2. The Speedform

Apollo is a running shoe “created for long distance running with arch support and added

cushioning to make for a comfortable and sturdy shoe when running” (www.underarmour.com,

n. d., p. 2, ¶ 3). The Speedform Gemini 2.1 is also a long distance running shoe that has a “plush

Charged Cushioning & the precision-fit of UA SpeedForm Technology to make the long

distance run more comfortable” (p. 2, ¶ 4). The UA Micro G Limitless 2 is a training shoe that

has a “leather synthetic to better support the customer’s foot during training (p. 2, ¶ 5). Under

Armour also produces footwear used in sports such as basketball, indoor soccer, and tennis.


Under Armour also sells cleats for various sports which are categorized as sports equipment.

Equipment: Under Armour is one of the biggest sports equipment providers within the sporting

goods market. UA sells equipment in virtually every large sport in the world. UA sells

equipment in sports such as; football, baseball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, golf etc.

Their top sport specific equipment sales are in lacrosse, basketball, and football. The bestselling

products that Under Armour sells in the sport of lacrosse are cleats, mouth guards, and lacrosse

gloves. The bestselling products Under Armour sells for the sport of basketball are; basketball

shoes, basketballs, and mouth guards. The bestselling products Under Armour sells in the sport

of football are; cleats, mouth guards, and chin straps.

Fitness Devices: Under Armour does not just sell apparel, they also sell fitness devices used to

track heartbeat, distance walked/ran, and weight and body fat of the consumer. The fitness

device package that Under Armour sells is the UA Healthbox. The Healthbox includes the UA

Band, UA Scale, and UA Heart Rate. The UA Band is a wristband that includes a step counter,

sleep monitor, activity alert, alarm clock, and fitness log. The UA Scale is a scale that shows

weight and body fat percentage, along with a personal profile so multiple people can use the

scale. The UA Heart Rate is a heart rate monitor that wraps around your torso and measures

calories burned and the intensity of a given workout.

Methodology and Procedures

Problem Identification


The problem for this survey was identified by student-athletes and coaching staff

members. The differentiation of brands altered the performance gear in which each team

acquired. This was due to the lack of specialization in regards to sport-specific equipment.

Development of Survey

The survey was developed as a group over a course of 3 weeks. Each member was

assigned specific athletic teams to survey in order to use face and content validity through expert

review. This allowed more accuracy when defining the population and determining the sample

size. The survey draft was analyzed in class by Professor Little and sent to the IRB on November

2, 2016. Robert Welsch approved the survey on November 6, 2016.

Definition of Population

The population included 18 of the 21 teams on campus who have worn Nike and Under

Armour for the university. There was a total of 130 athletes/coaches who were surveyed.

Women’s Tennis

Franklin Pierce University’s Women’s Tennis team consists of 9 athletes. This small

sample size makes it difficult to maintain accuracy when surveying. Upper classmen are the

focal point of this survey since these individuals have experiences with both Nike and Under

Armour. (Ravens, 2016).

Men’s Basketball

Franklin Pierce University’s Men’s Basketball team consists of 17 athletes. Upper

classmen are the focal point of this survey since these individuals have experiences with both

Nike and Under Armour. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Basketball


Franklin Pierce University’s Women’s Basketball team consists of 12 athletes. Upper

classmen are a majority of the team, which made the distribution of surveys very successful.

(Ravens, 2016).

Baseball

Franklin Pierce University’s Baseball team consists of 53 athletes. The large number

allows diversity in sample selection. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Golf

Franklin Pierce University’s Women’s Golf team consists of 9 athletes. Upper classmen

are the focal point of this survey since these individuals have experiences with both Nike and

Under Armour. (Ravens, 2016).

Men’s Golf

The Franklin Pierce Men’s Golf team consists of 20 athletes along with 2 coaches.

Men’s Tennis

The majority of the Men’s Tennis team is sophomores. Fortunately, they were able to

experience both Nike and Under Armour due to the transition year. This team consists of 8

athletes. (Ravens, 2016).

Cross Country

The Franklin Pierce University Cross Country team consists of 37 athletes, 1 head coach,

and 1 Graduate Assistant. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Soccer

The Franklin Pierce Women’s Soccer team consists of 26 athletes, 1 head coach, and 2

assistant coaches. (Ravens, 2016).

Men’s Soccer


The Franklin Pierce Men’s Soccer team consists of 26 athletes with an extensive

coaching staff of 4 members. (Ravens, 2016).

Track and Field

The Franklin Pierce Track and Field team consists of 67 athletes, 1 head coach, and 3

assistant coaches. (Ravens, 2016).

Football

The Franklin Pierce University’s Football team consists of 52 athletes. Out of those 52

athletes, 23 are freshman. (Ravens, 2016).

Men’s Lacrosse

Franklin Pierce University’s Men’s Lacrosse team consists of 42 players, 2 coaches, and

1 graduate assistant. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Lacrosse

The Franklin Pierce Women’s Lacrosse team consists of 20 athletes, 1 graduate assistant,

and 1 head coach. (Ravens, 2016).

Softball

The Softball team at Franklin Pierce University consists of 17 players. There is only 1

senior. There are 7 juniors, 4 sophomores, and 5 freshmen. The majority of this team is upper

classman, which is excellent for this survey. (Ravens, 2016).

Men’s Ice Hockey

The Men’s Hockey team at Franklin Pierce University consists of 30 athletes and 2

coaches. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Ice Hockey


The Women’s Hockey team at Franklin Pierce University consists of 30 athletes and 2


Volleyball

The Franklin Pierce Volleyball team consists of 13 athletes. The team has 1 head coach 1

assistant coach, and 1 team manager. (Ravens, 2016).

Sample Size

The target number for this survey is 160. We settled on 130 as our total between athletes,

coaches and trainers.

Women’s Tennis

The Franklin Pierce University Women’s Tennis had a sample size of 5 athletes. (Ravens,

2016).

Men’s Basketball

The Franklin Pierce University Men’s Basketball team had a sample size of 6 athletes and

2 coaches. (Ravens, 2016).


The Franklin Pierce University Women’s Basketball team had a sample size of 6 athletes

and 2 coaches. (Ravens, 2016).

Baseball

The Franklin Pierce University Baseball team had a sample size of 6 athletes and 2


Golf

The Franklin Pierce Golf team sample size consisted of 6 athletes and 2 coaches.

(Ravens, 2016).


Men’s Tennis

There were no seniors registered on the roster of this team. The team consists of 8

athletes; however, 6 of those athletes were sophomores and juniors. (Ravens, 2016).

Cross Country

The sample size determined for the Franklin Pierce University Cross Country team

consisted of 7 male and female athletes (both genders are under 1 coach), 1 coach, and 1

graduate assistant. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Soccer

The sample size determined for the Franklin Pierce University Women’s Soccer team

consisted of 6 athletes. (Ravens, 2016).

Men’s Soccer

The sample size determined for the Franklin Pierce University Men’s Soccer team

consisted of 6 athletes and 2 coaches. 3 were from the junior class while 3 were from the senior

class. (Ravens, 2016).

Track and Field

The sample size determined for the Franklin Pierce University Track and Field team

consisted of 7 male and female athletes (both genders are under 1 coach) and 1 coach. (Ravens,

2016). (Ravens, 2016).

Football

The sample size determined for Franklin Pierce University’s Football team consisted of

the head coach, 2 graduate assistants, and 5 athletes. (Ravens, 2016).

Men’s Lacrosse


The sample size determined for the Franklin Pierce University Men’s Lacrosse team

consisted of 8 athletes. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Lacrosse

The sample size determined for the Franklin Pierce University Women’s Lacrosse team

consisted of a combination of 8 athletes and coaches. (Ravens, 2016).

Softball

The Franklin Pierce University Softball team is primarily upperclassmen. Therefore, the

6 student-athletes surveyed experience both brands as Franklin Pierce student-athletes. (Ravens,

2016).

Men’s Ice Hockey

The sample size of the Franklin Pierce University Men’s Ice Hockey team included 8

participants that were made up of 3 juniors, 3 seniors and 2 coaches. (Ravens, 2016).

Women’s Ice Hockey

6 athletes were surveyed for this study. This included 3 seniors and 3 juniors. Two

coaches also participated in the survey. (Ravens, 2016).

Volleyball

The participants of the Franklin Pierce University Volleyball team surveyed included 5

team members (2 seniors and 3 juniors) and 1 Graduate Assistant. This data was collected

through the usage of the roster (Ravens, 2016).

Trainers

3 Trainers participated in the survey. (Ravens, 2016).

Date Collection Method

The research team utilized a non-probability convenience quota sampling method.


Women’s Tennis

The survey was conducted after practice on November 8, 2016. The survey was

distributed as a group in the Grimshaw-Gudewicz Activity Center.

Women’s Golf


distributed as a group in a meeting conducted at The Shattuck Golf Club.

Men’s Golf


distributed as a group in a meeting conducted at The Shattuck Golf Club.

Men’s Basketball


distributed as a group in a meeting conducted at The Fieldhouse.



distributed as a group in a meeting conducted at The Fieldhouse.



distributed as a group at the Baseball field.

Men’s Tennis


distributed as a group in the Grimshaw-Gudewicz Activity Center. Franklin Pierce University’s

Men’s Tennis team practice at a later time than the Women’s Tennis team.

Cross Country



distributed as a group prior to practice in The Fieldhouse.

Women’s Soccer


distributed as a group prior to practice at Sodexo Field.

Men’s Soccer


distributed as a group in a meeting at The Fieldhouse.

Track and Field


distributed as a group prior to practice in The Fieldhouse.

Football


distributed as a group in a meeting conducted in the Hall of Fame room located in The

Fieldhouse.

Men’s Lacrosse


distributed as a group after practice at Sodexo Field.

Women’s Lacrosse


distributed as a group after practice at Sodexo Field.

Softball



distributed as a group in a meeting conducted in the gym located in The Fieldhouse.

Men’s Ice Hockey


distributed as a group in a meeting conducted outside the rink at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

Men’s Ice Hockey


distributed as a group in a meeting conducted outside the rink at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

Volleyball


distributed as a group in a meeting conducted in the gym located in The Fieldhouse.

Assumptions

The main assumption acquired was the awareness of both brands, Nike and Under

Armour. Each team was informed to maintain integrity and confidentiality. Every student-athlete

and coaching staff member must have experience with Nike and Under Armour. This survey will

most likely establish a need for more variety and specialization with Under Armour gear.

Limitations

Women’s Tennis

The limitations include:

- The sample sizes do not include all student-athletes.

- The small size of Franklin Pierce University’s Women’s Tennis team.

- The head coach is new to the Franklin Pierce Athletic staff.

Women’s Golf




- The small size of Franklin Pierce University’s Women’s Golf team.

- The establishment of a meeting time and location.

- Finding the location of the set meeting.

Men’s Golf



- The small size of Franklin Pierce University’s Women’s Golf team.


- Finding the location of the set meeting.

Men’s Tennis



- The small size of Franklin Pierce University’s Men’s Tennis team.


Cross Country


- The small population size versus the sample size.


Women’s Soccer


- Locating individuals on the team.




Men’s Soccer



- The establishment of a meeting time and location due to their participation in the NCAA

tournament.

Track and Field





Football



- The large size of Franklin Pierce University’s Football team.


- One of the trainers did not have experience with Nike clothing.

Men’s Lacrosse



- The large size of Franklin Pierce University’s Lacrosse team.



Women’s Lacrosse



Softball




Men’s Ice Hockey




- Most team members do not live on-campus.

- Tragic loss of head coach, Bruce Marshall.

- The location of the meeting was difficult to find.

Men’s Ice Hockey



- Most team members do not live on-campus.

- The location of the meeting was difficult to find.

Volleyball



- The establishment a meeting time due to home games.


Discussion

After careful evaluation, this study exposed an issue with pricing. Under Armour has

tendency to be too expensive based on the research collected at Franklin Pierce University. The

overall pricing can be improved in order to make it more affordable for the consumer market.

(See Appendix E). This conclusion correlates with an Under Armour’s Case Study conducted in

2014. The case study found that the average price of Under Armour products was exponentially

higher than other competitors within the athletic apparel industry (Bowen, 2014). Franklin Pierce

University student athletes agreed with the claim regarding Under Armour pricing. Developing a

more affordable price range would gain more attention from collegiate student athletes since

most are on a college budget.

The study orchestrated in 2014 found that a weakness in which Under Armour possessed

pertained to outsource manufacturing (Bowen, 2014). Most of the raw materials that Under

Armour uses are developed and manufactured by third parties. These finite sources have

limitations in regards to availability during certain periods of time (Thompson, C-51). Within

this industry, innovation and development is a key component to acquiring a competitive

advantage. Under Armour could have issues when trying to build new, innovative product lines

due to resource availability. The involvement of third parties could be a risk to UA’s core

competencies (Bowen, 2014). This weakness corresponds with the research study conducted at

Franklin Pierce University in Fall 2016 due to the fact that student athletes stated that Under

Armour could improve overall product quality (See Appendix E).

Conclusions

Objective 1


The first research objective performed was to review and research literature related to

Under Armour sponsorships and products. Scholarly research was reviewed and showed that

Under Armour’s products could be improved for certain sports. The lack of variety was a

common concern within the research collected.

Objective 2

The second research objective was to assess the level of satisfaction of Under Armour

products. The data displayed a positive feedback from the respondents in regards to satisfaction.

There were questions present on the survey that pertained to preference based on satisfaction.

The comparison was between Under Armour and Nike. Approximately 30.77% of the population

responded neutral when asked which company’s products they preferred most. However,

respondents were asked what brand they preferred overall, which includes pricing, products, etc.

30.77% of the sample responded neutral while 26.15% preferred Under Armour over Nike (See

Appendix J).

The research team also proposed question that focused on the pricing of Under Armour

products. Approximately 41% of the population surveyed said that the perception of Under

Armour pricing was beneficial (See Appendix B). This was concern when developing the survey

since price can drastically influence sales.

Objective 3

The third research objective was to assess the level of satisfaction with Under Armour’s

customer service. Research was gathered from respondents in regards to the quality of customer

service provided by Under Armour. 40% of the population said that UA provided helpful

customer service while 13.08% responded that UA provided extremely helpful customer service


(See Appendix L). The vast majority provided positive feedback when referring to Under

Armour’s customer service. This includes over 53% of the respondents in the research study (See

Appendix L).

Objective 4

A fourth research objective was to assess the quality of Under Armour products for

different sports. One question that respondents answered in the research team’s survey was to

determine whether Under Armour makes equipment directly related to the sport they partake in.

60.77% of respondents said that UA provided gear for their sport while 13.08% responded

neutral (See Appendix D). This data shows that more than half the respondents agreed or were

neutral with Under Armour making equipment directly related to their sports.

Objective 5

The fifth research objective was to determine which brand between Nike or Under

Armour was more popular among Franklin Pierce students. The survey directly asked the

respondents if they preferred UA over Nike. 13.08% responded strongly agree while 26.15%

responded agree (See Appendix J). However, 30.77% were neutral in regards to preference (See

Appendix J). This data displays that over half the respondents preferred or were neutral when

asked to determine if Under Armour was more desired than Nike.

Objective 6

The last research objective was to determine if the demographic profiles associated with

any of the objectives mentioned above. To determine demographic profiles, the research team

had respondents respond to two questions on the survey directed towards demographics. This

included age and gender. The question regarding to gender displayed a more male dominated

population sample. The research team calculated that the population was 57.69% male and


42.31% female (See Appendix F). This data shows that there were more males than females who

responded. As for the question that asked for age, the research team concluded that 31.54% of

the population was 20 while 29.33% was 21 (See Appendix I). This means that the majority of

the student athletes partaking in this survey were either from the junior or senior class, which

was the target sample size for this research study since those individuals had worn both brand for

Franklin Pierce University. 95.38% of the respondents have worn Nike and Under Armour for

Franklin Pierce University (See Appendix K).

Recommendations

Based on the overall research study, there are several recommendations in regards to

Under Armour as a sponsor for Franklin Pierce University. Primarily, Under Armour should

develop more diverse products that relate to each sport in order to provide greater benefits for the

athletes. This would allow athletes to perform to the best of their ability since they can utilize

products that better fit their needs, rather than utilizing products that they need to adapt to.

Although, 60% of athletes say that Under Armour makes equipment directly related to their sport

(See Appendix D). This data does not include equipment that doesn’t function for the uses

needed. For example, the Franklin Pierce University Cross Country team can’t wear Under

Armour footwear as it won’t hold up to their higher mileage (even though Under Armour does

make running shoes).

Other recommendations for improving Under Armour as a sponsor for Franklin Pierce

University include: higher quality apparel, sizing, footwear, and better pricing. According to the

survey study 24% of athletes want better apparel, sizing and footwear, 26% want better pricing,

and 21% want more variety (See Appendix D). This data can be used to build more desirable

product lines in the future at lower costs in order to increase sales and profitability.


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Appendix Appendix A


Appendix B


Appendix C


Appendix D


Appendix E


Appendix F


Appendix G


Appendix H


Appendix I


Appendix J


Appendix K


Appendix L

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