Sports Authority Gears Up for Launch of Under Armour's New Athletic Footwear

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Two years after dipping its toe into the athletic footwear arena with its successful line of Click-Clack cleats, Under Armour is preparing to jump deeper into the category with the launch of Under Armour Performance Trainers.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080501/NYTH105 )

And to help make this plunge a significant splash at retail, Sports Authority, the nation's largest sporting goods retailer, has been investing heavily in the promotion of the new Performance Trainers; hyping its launch by running billboards in major markets across the country, running in-store signage that counts down the days till its available and hosting in-store events and joint promotions with Under Armour for consumers and sales associates.

In anticipation of high consumer demand for the new athletic footwear, all 433 Sports Authority stores across the country will be opening early (8 a.m.), May 3, the first day the product will be available.

"Under Armour is arguably one of the hottest performance athletic brands over the past few years, and we're extremely excited about its foray into athletic footwear," said David Campisi, president of Sports Authority. "We're proud of our partnership with UA, and we're expecting this to be a tremendous success."

Campisi further noted that this is the most anticipated launch of a training shoe in more than a decade, and clearly represents the resurgence of the performance training footwear category.

The new footwear, priced between $80-100 (Kids' models are priced between $55-75), is likely to shake up the cross-trainer segment, as it not only signals the latest advancement from Under Armour, but also ushers in the first high-performance footwear built specifically for competitive athletes.

The three different models are: The UA Proto Power Trainer, the UA Proto Speed Trainer and the UA Proto Evade Trainer. Each is designed with a specific purpose to maximize training.

Carrying the tagline "Stop training in running shoes," the new athletic footwear targets those serious athletes looking for footwear that will help them improve their training regimen for their dedicated sports. The UA Performance Trainers are designed to propel and support the Speed, Power and Evasive training methods of the next generation athlete.

"Our customers equate Under Armour with authenticity, and that's exactly what this product delivers," said Sports Authority's Campisi. "This brand is about performance and this is the latest example of that strategic direction."

About Sports Authority

Headquartered in Englewood, CO, Sports Authority is the nation's largest full-line sporting goods retailer, offering a comprehensive and high-quality assortment of brand name sporting apparel and equipment at competitive prices.

Sports Authority operates 433 stores in 45 states, and employs more than 16,000 people nationwide. The company's e-commerce website is located at www.sportsauthority.com.