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The XFL 3.0 is just days from kick-off. And (likely) thanks to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s involvement and ownership, the XFL has signed Under Armour up as its official apparel provider.
Announced in December 2022, the two have teamed up to create exclusive uniforms for the XFL’s 2023 season and has now unveiled the team uniforms.
Under Armour has experience with risky projects
Obviously Under Armour is no stranger to football, being the famed Fighting Irish, Notre Dame’s apparel provider. It is also no stranger to taking fliers on fledgling leagues or projects, even providing the football apparel for the Oliver Stone/Al Pacino movie Any Given Sunday – read more about that here.
It is also a far remove from XFL 2.0’s non-branded kit, which frankly wasn’t up to scratch and appeared cheap. Heck, even the first XFL had Champion sportswear producing its gear.
Having a big brand on board gives the XFL the look and feel of a proper entity before kick-off. It was also a labor of love between both, with the cycle of preparation for the big reveal being over two years, as outlined by a quote from Dwayne Johnson below.
Thoughts on Under Armour’s XFL gear
Thoughts on the gear itself, however?
More work needed for future seasons. The NFL has quite unique, individualistic jerseys, these by contrast appear a bit out of the Puma school of thinking that cookie cutter, templates for jerseys will cut it.
I get it because it is the first season and given the XFL’s history of simply not even lasting beyond one makes it a risky proposition. So, I cut them some slack on this, but for the future, better iterations are needed with more variety.
By contrast to the jerseys, I really like the helmet designs.
Also, for the most part, I like the teams’ individual brands:
- Keeping the St. Louis BattleHawks’ brand pretty intact to XFL 2.0’s version is smart, given the utterly rabid fanbase that revealed itself during the 2020 season.
- Augmenting the Seattle Sea Dragons (formerly the Seattle Dragons from 2020’s XFL version) is also a well-thought-out approach, including the minor name change.
Specifics on the Under Armour jerseys
Under Armour’s proprietary ArmourGrid 2 jersey combines textiles strategically placed for durability, fit and ventilation. The jersey’s front and back body panels are made from ArmourGrid Vent, a “No-Grab” ventilated woven ripstop that eliminates stretchy material. The shoulder yokes, collar and cuffs are crafted from Under Armour’s Twillot fabric, a durable wicking and anti-microbial tricot blend. The jersey’s side and lower body panels boast high-stretch, ventilated Smokestack mesh.
Interestingly, the collars of all team uniforms feature a “Blood, Sweat, Respect” mantra, with the idea that this is a personal message from ownership to players, sublimated onto the interior. Additionally, each jersey is decorated with embroidered team wordmarks and branding at the base of the neckline, Under Armour’s ArmourGrid nameplates with twill lettering, and XFL, Under Armour, and Project Rock Brahma Bull patches.
“We have built an incredibly strong relationship with Under Armour over the years as our trusted partner with Project Rock,” said XFL Owner Dwayne Johnson. “For almost two years now, we have been working closely with Under Armour to ensure these new uniforms not only represent the pride and history of each city, but are also designed to withstand the physicality of this sport and each player leaving it all on the field come game day. Now it’s time for our players to gear up and ball out XFL style for the 2023 season.”
“As a company that was born on the grid iron, we are excited to support the XFL, its athletes, and fans on this new venture. Our partnership with the League is an evolution of Under Armour’s commitment to support athletes on their journey to compete in sport with innovative performance solutions they need to train, compete, and recover both on and off the field,” said Sean Eggert, SVP, Global Sports Marketing, Under Armour. “Dwayne Johnson is an exceptional Under Armour athlete and partner and we’re proud of the work he and Dany have put in to make their vision of next-level XFL a reality.”
The XFL ball
Meanwhile, the official XFL game ball was also launched in 2022 and it has a sueded-finish and Pro Tack+ silver laces for what the league calls a modern, timeless look. The silver logo incorporates the league’s new permagraphic logo technology, which gives a foil-like appearance without flaking.
In addition, each football is handcrafted in Dallas, Texas with top-grain cowhide leather sourced domestically in the USA, and has the same specifications and supplier as the footballs used by college and professional players.
