At an elite institution like Amherst, we are surrounded by excellence every day. We pride ourselves on excellent students, professors, resources, administrators, coaches and teams. It seems only fitting, then, that Amherst athletics recently signed a five-year contract with Under Armour and BSN Sports, two companies that in the words of Athletic Director Don Faulstick, share Amherst’s “commitment to excellence.”
Over the course of the five years, the Amherst athletics department will move towards outfitting all of their athletes in Under Armour apparel for contests and practices. “Under Armour is a national leader in team apparel at the professional and college level,” Faulstick said. Amherst Athletics will be using the company BSN Sports — the largest distributor of athletic apparel and equipment in the United States — to help in the distribution of Under Armour attire.
Not only will this impact Amherst in outfitting their athletes in quality apparel, but the Under Armour brand will also be available for the public to browse and purchase through BSN sports. This provides alumni, students, parents and fans the opportunity to represent and support Amherst athletics. Faulstick, who helped to orchestrate the Under Armour deal as his first major move as Athletic Director, says “this partnership will help our department with building a consistent visual brand identity for Amherst Athletics.”
The athletic department has certainly never wanted for top quality uniforms, apparel or equipment in the past, but Faulstick is positive that this shift will provide better cohesion and organization among teams and fans in the support of the athletics department. This is a huge step for the College, as the department has never before partnered with a single company on apparel, uniforms, or equipment for their athletes. Before this move, each team at Amherst was responsible for outfitting their own players in apparel and with equipment that coaches saw fit.
The news of the Under Armour deal has been met with excitement from Amherst athletes, coaches, fans, and alumni. As the school year begins and fall sports kick off, the department will continue to collaborate with Under Armour and BSN Sports to serve the community and keep the public informed on the steps to be taken to strengthen the relationships moving forward.
