Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper said he no longer has an apparel deal with Under Armour after partnering with the company for about 15 years.
Harper said in the comments section of a TikTok video where he is seen taking batting practice and wearing Nike shoes that he is a “Free agent in the apparel/footwear category right now” in response to another commenter.
A source with knowledge of his dealings with Under Armour said Harper and his representatives are negotiating a new equipment deal. Harper’s deal with Under Armour has lapsed, however.
Harper has not ruled out signing a new deal with the Baltimore-based retailer, the source said.
The 33-year-old MLB player signed with Under Armour when he was 17, Harper said in a September interview with Boardroom sponsored by Under Armour.
“They wanted me from the jump,” Harper said in the interview, adding that, when the company signed him, he was trying to make a name for himself. “For Under Armour to kind of give me that opportunity was huge.”
Under Armour declined to comment and directed questions to Harper’s team.
Harper’s agent, Scott Boras, did not reply to a request for comment.
According to Sports Illustrated, Harper initially signed with Under Armour in 2011 before inking a 10-year extension in 2016. His contract extension with Under Armour was the largest endorsement deal in history for a baseball player at that time.
The MLB all-star has a collection with the sportswear brand. His first pair of Under Armour baseball cleats, called the Harper 1, were released in 2016, according to the Boardroom interview. He was playing for the Washington Nationals at the time.
Harper was creating new shoes, cleats and batting gloves with the company all the way up until 2025.
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper wears a pair of cleats from Under Armour in a game on May 26, 2024, in Denver. (David Zalubowski/AP)
About two months ago, Golden State Warriors’ guard Stephen Curry and Under Armour agreed to end their partnership after working together for 12 years.
But the brand has added on some new talent in the past year, including NHL star Colorado Avalanche defender Cale Makar.
CEO Kevin Plank has been trying to re-brand the Baltimore-based company amid sales and revenue declines, plus added costs with new tariffs. The value of Under Armour stock, which has decreased in recent years, has increased more than 25% over the past few weeks. The spike follows a huge stock buy from Prem Watsa, a Canadian billionaire investor.
Plank’s other businesses and investments have been faltering as well, but he has remained optimistic about Under Armour’s comeback since he came back to lead the company over a year ago.
Banner reporter Hayes Gardner contributed to this story.