Under Armour's Attack on Nike | Signature Sneakers

March 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In this episode of Business Wars, journalist Tim Newcomb traces the evolution of signature sneakers, from their origins as sales boosters to high-stakes brand strategies. Drawing on his reporting for outlets like Forbes and Sports Illustrated, he examines how deals with athletes like Michael Jordan and Steph Curry shaped Nike's dominance and Under Armour's challenges, highlighting the risks of tying marketing to individual stars.

Origins and Rise of Signature Sneakers

Signature sneakers began over a century ago when rubber companies like Converse added athlete names to boost sales. The first was the Chuck Taylor All Star in the 1920s: former pro basketball player and coach Chuck Taylor became a salesman, and putting his name on the side increased demand. Tennis accelerated the trend in the 1960s-70s, with Adidas leading via models like Stan Smith, Rod Laver (suede-toed and robust), and others for John Newcombe, Billie Jean King, and Chris Evert. Individual tennis stars were marketed personally, unlike team sports athletes.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Tim Newcomb**
2 (02:30) **Origins of the Signature Sneaker**
3 (05:00) **Tennis Boom in Signature Sneakers**
4 (08:00) **Signature Deals vs. Endorsements**
5 (10:00) **Transcending Sports into Culture**
6 (12:00) **Steph Curry and Under Armour Partnership**
7 (16:30) **Nike's Jordan Revolution**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

When Michael Jordan signed with an upstart running shoe company called Nike in the 1980s, it revolutionized the signature sneaker landscape and made Nike the brand to beat. Under Armour made a similar play signing Steph Curry in 2013. But it didn’t pan out quite the way they hoped. Still, nowadays it seems like every star athlete needs a signature line. Tim Newcomb is a sneaker and sports tech reporter whose work has appeared in Forbes, Sports Illustrated, Esquire and more. He's breaking down the rise of the signature shoe from Chuck Taylors in the 1920s to Kobe Bryant’s and Roger Federer’s signature kicks. We’ll also look at some of the new players in the sneaker game, and where Under Armour goes from here.

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