Stephen Curry and Under Armour Part Ways, Curry Brand Goes Independent

Summary

• Stephen Curry and Under Armour (UA) have ended their 12-year partnership, agreeing to let the Curry Brand operate as an independent entity
• This split grants Curry full operational control over his brand, enabling it to compete more autonomously in the global sportswear market
• The Curry Brand, which previously produced ten signature shoe models for UA, will continue its mission to impact youth sports while exploring new partnerships

A 12-year partnership that fundamentally reshaped basketball footwear is coming to a close. Stephen Curry and Under Armour (UA) have announced a mutual agreement to dissolve their long-standing relationship. Moving forward, the Curry Brand will transition to an independent entity, ending the high-profile collaboration that began in 2013.

This strategic split allows Curry, the four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP, to gain full operational control over his namesake brand. The move is widely seen as an attempt to give the Curry Brand the autonomy and agility needed to compete directly with global sportswear giants. While no longer under the UA umbrella, the parting is amicable, with sources suggesting the split includes a licensing agreement that will allow UA to continue producing and distributing Curry Brand apparel for a limited time.

Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour said in a statement, “It’s been an incredible privilege to work with Stephen, who as President of Curry Brand has been much more than an ambassador — he’s become a thoughtful and strategic business leader. Together with our teammates, he helped build something rare: a brand with credibility, community impact and product that performs at the highest level. For Under Armour, this moment is about discipline and focus on the core UA brand during a critical stage of our turnaround. And for Stephen, it’s the right moment to let what we created evolve on his terms. We’ll always be grateful for what he’s brought to the UA team.” Curry said in a release, “Under Armour believed in me early in my career and gave me the space to build something much bigger and more impactful than a shoe. I’ll always be grateful for that. Curry Brand was created to change the game for good and over the past five years, we successfully changed the game for kids, for communities, and for basketball. What Curry Brand stands for, what I stand for and my commitment to that mission will never change, it’s only growing stronger. I’m excited for a future that’s focused on aggressive growth with a continued commitment to keep showing up for the next generation.”

During their partnership, the Curry Brand became Under Armour’s most significant basketball division, producing ten signature shoe models and expanding into apparel and golf. The brand’s establishment in 2020 as a semi-autonomous division was a precursor to this final separation. Curry Brand, which has already established a commitment to community impact through youth sports initiatives, is now poised to forge new partnerships and explore new product categories as an independent powerhouse in the athletic and lifestyle market.