NEW YORK, NEW YORK (November 15, 2021) — Champs Sports x Eastbay announced the two brands are officially coming together within the Foot Locker, Inc., family of brands. With a long history of driving sport performance via Eastbay and sport lifestyle via Champs Sports, the brands will further inspire and empower high school athletes in their journey on and off the court and field – specifically with new retail experiences and strategic joint offerings over the coming months.
In celebration, Champs Sports x Eastbay and UNINTERRUPTED have come together to announce an exclusive “More Than An Athlete” apparel line featuring a combination of performance and lifestyle product. The first of three drops will feature products centered around basketball and include hoodies, tees, joggers, and compression pieces as well as accessories such as socks, beanies, and arm sleeves. Prices range from $10 to $30 for accessories and $30 to $80 for apparel, with a limited release varsity jacket at $840. The collection will launch on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 on Eastbay.com and ChampsSports.com, as well as select Champs Sports locations. Future collections will celebrate baseball and football, with drops slated to be released throughout 2022.
This collaboration with UNINTERRUPTED will have an accompanying “More Than An Athlete Hotline: Varsity Edition” content series, a collaborative platform for athlete mentors to inspire, motivate and share their experiences with high school athletes. Hosted by YouTuber and former college football kicker, Donald De La Haye, aka Deestroying, and Oregon Women’s Basketball superstar, Sedona Prince, the nine-episode series is a co-production between Sports Emmy-award winning athlete empowerment brand UNINTERRUPTED and Champs Sports x Eastbay.
“UNINTERRUPTED’S ‘More Than An Athlete’ line and content series perfectly align with our brand philosophy,” said Guy Harkless, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Champs Sports and Eastbay. “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.”
“More Than An Athlete Hotline: Varsity Edition” launched Monday, November 22, 2021 on UNINTERRUPTED’s YouTube channel with new episodes rolling out on a monthly basis. On the first episode, hosts Deestroying and Sedona will be joined by two basketball stars — UCLA’s Johnny Juzang and Sierra Canyon High School’s Amari Bailey to discuss the new era of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. Each episode will feature an “athlete of the month” to spotlight high school athletes across various sports who exemplify what it means to embody UNINTERRUPTED’s core “More Than an Athlete” spirit.
“UNINTERRUPTED’s mission has always been to empower athletes,” said Devin Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, The SpringHill Company. “This partnership with Champs Sports x Eastbay allows us the opportunity to connect with younger athletes through both content and commerce levers. We also want to communicate to all athletes, especially younger ones, that they have the ability to see growth in their becoming, both on and off the court or field.”
The announcement of Champs Sports x Eastbay follows the debut of Eastbay Performance apparel merchandise and the announcement of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as the line’s first brand ambassador. The brands coming together will continue to inspire the next generation of athletes by helping them game, train and live at their best, with a mission to be the true expression of sport culture.
For more information, please follow Eastbay, Champs Sports and UNINTERRUPTED.
About Champs Sports and Eastbay
As part of the Foot Locker, Inc. family of brands, Champs Sports and Eastbay have joined forces at the intersection of sport and style to offer a curated assortment of athletic-inspired footwear, apparel and accessories for the high school athlete. Today’s rising star is more than their moves on the court/field and more than their game stats. They are all about performance, but equally focused on perfecting their self-expression and personal style. Eastbay is the authority on sports performance, while Champs Sports is the go-to destination for an athlete’s off-court/field sports-inspired lifestyle. One team, here to win.
About UNINTERRUPTED
UNINTERRUPTED is a Sports Emmy-award winning athlete empowerment media, experiences and consumer product brand that is part of The SpringHill Company, the media conglomerate spearheaded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter with the mission to empower greatness in every individual. UNINTERRUPTED’s original content properties, including The Shop: UNINTERRUPTED, Kneading Dough and More Than An Athlete, are impacting culture and inspiring important conversations within and beyond sport and entertainment.