Key Takeaways
- Unrivaled Sports announced partnerships with Under Armour and DICK’S Sporting Goods across its youth sports venues, events and programming
- Under Armour becomes the exclusive performance apparel partner for Ripken Nationals, Ripken Nationals Championship and Unrivaled Flag events
- DICK’S will serve as Presenting-Level Sponsor of Ripken Nationals and the Ripken Nationals Championship
- GameChanger will livestream marquee moments including Ripken Nationals qualifiers and the championship at Cooperstown All Star Village
- Initial activations include a “Road to Ripken Nationals” content series and a Post-Game Press Conference social content series
Two Major Brands Align with Unrivaled’s Growing Portfolio
Unrivaled Sports, which describes itself as the nation’s leader in youth sports experiences, announced on April 9 that it has secured partnerships with Under Armour and DICK’S Sporting Goods. The deals span Unrivaled’s full portfolio of properties, events and programming, touching baseball, flag football and action sports.
The partnerships arrive as Unrivaled continues to consolidate youth sports brands under one umbrella. Its current family includes Cooperstown All Star Village, Ripken Baseball Experiences, Unrivaled Sports ForeverLawn Park, Rocker B Ranch, Diamond Nation, Unrivaled Flag and We Are Camp action sports. Both Under Armour and DICK’S will collaborate on experiential activations designed around those properties, with a broader roadmap of initiatives planned throughout the year.
“These strategic partnerships and sponsorship models are incredibly meaningful as we strive to change the world of youth sports, by creating inspiring, inclusive, and memory-making experiences for young athletes everywhere, for boys and girls, across multiple sports, and across the country,” said Andy Campion, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Unrivaled Sports.
Under Armour Goes Exclusive on Apparel
Under Armour’s role goes beyond standard sponsorship. The brand is now the exclusive performance apparel partner for Ripken Nationals and the Ripken Nationals Championship. All youth athletes competing in Ripken Nationals qualifiers, the championship event and marquee Unrivaled Baseball events will wear Under Armour apparel.
The deal also extends to Unrivaled Flag properties, including the Youth Flag Football World Championships and the High School Girls National Flag Football Competition, which features 5-on-5 and 7-on-7 formats with round robin games, playoffs and championships.
“Unrivaled showcases a level of excellence in youth sport and Under Armour’s committed to helping drive innovation and performance by delivering the best product and experiences for young athletes at Unrivaled tournaments and events,” said Craig Cummings, Under Armour Vice President, Team Division.
The exclusive apparel arrangement gives Under Armour direct visibility with young athletes and families at scale, while locking in product placement across multiple sports and event formats.
DICK’S Steps Into Presenting-Level Role
DICK’S Sporting Goods will serve as the Presenting-Level Sponsor of both Ripken Nationals and the Ripken Nationals Championship. That top-tier designation places the retailer’s brand throughout the tournament experience.
The partnership also includes GameChanger, the youth sports mobile platform owned by DICK’S, which will provide livestream coverage of marquee moments from Ripken Nationals qualifiers and the championship at Cooperstown All Star Village.
“This partnership with Unrivaled Sports allows us to show up for young athletes in new ways by elevating their tournament experience, celebrating their achievements and creating moments that mirror the biggest stages in sport,” said Mark Rooks, VP of Creative, Sponsorship and Entertainment at DICK’S.
DICK’S will also activate through a Post-Game Press Conference social content series that spotlights youth athletes and coaches sharing live reactions to pivotal tournament moments. The format mirrors professional sports media production, applied to a 12U baseball audience.
Ripken Nationals as the Activation Hub
The partnerships center on Ripken Nationals, described as a premier 12U baseball national championship tournament in its inaugural year. Both brands are using the event as the initial tentpole for their activations.
Under Armour’s “Road to Ripken Nationals” content series will follow teams as they compete for a spot in the championship. DICK’S Post-Game Press Conference series adds a social content layer. GameChanger’s livestreaming capability ties it together with real-time digital distribution.
The combination of exclusive apparel, presenting-level sponsorship and platform-level livestreaming creates a layered activation model. Each brand occupies a distinct space: Under Armour owns the on-field product, DICK’S owns the event presentation, and GameChanger handles the digital broadcast.
What This Means for the Youth Sports Sponsorship Landscape
The Unrivaled Sports model reflects a broader trend in the youth sports industry: aggregation of properties creating scale that attracts national brand partners. By bringing Cooperstown All Star Village, Ripken Baseball, Diamond Nation and flag football properties under one roof, Unrivaled can offer sponsors access to hundreds of thousands of young athletes and families through a single relationship.
For Under Armour, the deal provides a direct pipeline to youth athletes during formative brand loyalty years. For DICK’S, it reinforces the company’s positioning as the go-to retailer for youth sports families while integrating GameChanger’s technology into live event coverage. For Unrivaled, landing two NYSE-listed companies as partners validates its consolidation strategy and opens the door for additional brand investment.
The broader roadmap of initiatives promised for the rest of the year will determine how deep these partnerships go beyond the initial activations.
Source: PRNewswire, Unrivaled Sports, April 9, 2026
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