Champs Sports and Eastbay are coming together to inspire high school athletes both on and off the field.
In a statement today, the Foot Locker Inc. banners said they have partnered to “further inspire and empower high school athletes in their journey on and off the court and field.” The company told FN via email that this is a long-term brand partnership focused on driving sport culture, with Eastbay focused on authenticating performance and Champs Sports on authenticating lifestyle.
Today’s statement said this partnership will include new retail experiences and strategic joint offerings, which will begin to take place over the coming months.
To celebrate the partnership, Champs Sports and Eastbay have teamed up with athlete empowerment brand Uninterrupted to deliver an exclusive “More Than An Athlete” apparel line, which will feature both performance and lifestyle product.
There will be three drops, with the first centered around basketball. The range will feature apparel items such as hoodies, T-shirts, joggers and compression pieces, as well as accessories including socks, beanies and arm sleeves. The prices will range from $10 to $80. The line will also include a varsity jacket that will release in a limited quantity and retail for $840.
Shoppers can shop the collection starting Dec. 1 via Eastbay.com and Champssports.com, as well as select Champs Sports doors.
Looking ahead, more collections will drop in 2022, which will be focused on baseball and football.
“Uninterrupted’s ‘More Than An Athlete’ line and content series perfectly align with our brand philosophy,” SVP and GM of Champs Sports and Eastbay Guy Harkless said in a statement. “With Champs Sports x Eastbay, our goal is to provide young athletes with the tools they need to be successful, and MTAA provides those same athletes with a space to connect with others and learn from their experiences. Together, we hope to support these athletes as they continue to excel on and off the field.”
In addition to the apparel and accessory range, Uninterrupted will deliver the “More Than An Athlete Hotline: Varsity Edition” content series. The series, according to Champs and Eastbay, will be hosted by YouTuber Donald De La Haye, better known as Deestroying, and University of Oregon women’s basketball star Sedona Prince. The nine-episode series will launch on Nov. 22 via the Uninterrupted YouTube channel, and new episodes will roll out monthly.
The first episode, according to Champs and Eastbay, will feature UCLA athlete Johnny Juzang and Sierra Canyon High School athlete Amari Bailey, who will discuss name, image and likeness deals. Also, each episode will feature an athlete of the month, which will highlight a high school athlete who embodies the Uninterrupted “More Than an Athlete” spirit.
