Under Armour brings in SYZMIK Sports to manufacture branded protective headgear, extending a flag football expansion that already spans sponsorships, grassroots programs and an early bet on China.
Under Armour has signed a licensing agreement with SYZMIK Sports to add soft-shell protective headgear to its flag football and 7v7 football offering. Under the deal, SYZMIK will manufacture Under Armour-branded products, while Under Armour takes on global distribution through direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels. It gives the Baltimore-based company a presence in a protective equipment category it had not previously carried under its own brand.
A sport scaling toward the Olympics
Flag will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games in 2028, and it now counts roughly 20 million players worldwide. Youth participation in the US has reached more than 4.1 million, up 50 percent from 2020 levels. Internationally, the International Federation of American Football, the sport’s global governing body, has recorded a 48 percent increase in national teams entering its world ranking system since 2022, a sign of participation building across both established and newer markets.
Part of a longer China and flag football play
The agreement also continues Under Armour’s work establishing an early position in international flag football. SGIE reported in May 2026 that the company sent former NFL quarterback Shawn Jefferson on an ambassador tour of China to build awareness of the sport there. The SYZMIK deal extends that approach from apparel and visibility into equipment, giving Under Armour a stake in headgear spending as participation continues to grow toward 2028.
