Lengthening its stride

Lengthening its stride


With the launch of its heavily promoted cross trainer sneaker just two days away, Under Armour is preparing to expand its push into footwear, producing more shoes to be worn off the playing field.

The Baltimore company has begun testing prototypes of a basketball and a running shoe, Kevin A. Plank, Under Armour Inc. chairman, president and chief executive, confirmed in a recent interview.

At least one of the shoes could hit the market as early as next year.

And while Plank wouldn't discuss too many details of its next foray into shoes - preferring not to steal the limelight from Saturday's launch of the cross trainer - it signals the company's intentions to make the Under Armour logo as prominent as the Nike swoosh in the sports apparel marketZappos.

The success or failure of the cross trainer, based around the slogan "Stop Training in Running Shoes," will determine just how fast and aggressively the company enters other shoe categories. It's also a test of the company's strategy to broaden the brand. Under Armour is spending millions to promote the new shoe, taking a hit on earnings in the first half of the year."The way that we are going to define success in training footwear is our position at year-end to enter additional categories," Plank told analysts during a recent conference call. "I think the opportunity is there for us to enter additional categories, but we're going to know a lot more after SaturdayAir Jordans."

The cross trainer follows the company's initial move into footwear with cleats for football, baseball and softball that are worn only on the field and have a limited audience. Analysts say more is at stake with the cross trainer, which could determinePayless just how powerful the Under Armour brand is in attracting consumers.

"A high-profile success could cause investors to consider the possibilityjordan shoes that this could be the next Nike, while a failure might mean that the brand's appeal does not extend beyond athletic apparel," Credit Suisse analyst Omar Saad wrote in a research report.

The company is launching the shoe during difficult economic conditions. The housing implosion and credit crunchnike shoes along with rising prices for gasoline, energy and food are prompting consumers to be more cautious. Most retailers are feeling the pinch.

Under Armour said this week that it was going to lower prices at its outlet stores and open more stores to get rid of excess apparel it wasn't able to sell to its retail partners, such as Dick's Sporting Goods.


起来~不愿做潜水的人们
把我们的砖头~盖成我们新的大楼~

论坛到了最H最BL的时候~
每个人被逼着期待下一张CGX的女主角~
彻砖~彻砖~彻砖~!
我们万众一心,冒着河蟹的危险~
等待
冒着河蟹的危险~
等待~等待~等待~待！！！