Pursuits
Forty Years After Pele, Under Armour Sponsors New York Cosmos
- Deal is Under Armour's first U.S. soccer team sponsorship
- Pele's star power made the Cosmos famous in the 1970s
Pele in action for the New York Cosmos.
Photographer: Focus On Sport/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Under Armour Inc. has agreed to become a sponsor of the New York Cosmos, a North American Soccer League franchise best known for Pele’s stint with the team in the 1970s.
The sponsorship is Under Armour’s first deal with a professional American soccer team and may provide an opening into a sport and domestic market where rivals Nike Inc. and Adidas AG have other leagues and teams locked up. The Baltimore-based apparel maker has deals with overseas soccer clubs including Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Sao Paulo FC.