BSN SPORTS AND UNDER ARMOUR RECOGNIZE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF TITLE IX WITH COMPLEMENTARY “WOMEN OF WILL” COACHES’ WEBINAR

September 20, 2021

DALLAS – BSN SPORTS, the nation’s largest direct marketer and distributor of sporting goods to the school and league markets and a division of Varsity Brands, and Under Armour (NYSE: UA) today announced co-sponsorship of a complementary coaches’ webinar, “Empowering Coaches to Inspire The Next Generation” on behalf of their joint Women of Will Program – the first exclusive women’s high school sports sponsorship program of its kind. The webinar coincides with the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark legislation that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives federal funding. The webinar, which will take place on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 from 11am – 12pm CDT, will feature a panel moderated by GOALS CEO & Founder Caroline Fitzgerald that will focus on the impact of Title IX on women’s sports, as well as look ahead to the new ideas and inspirational figures who are poised to inspire the next generation of women. Panelists include Marisa Moseley, Head Coach of Wisconsin Women’s Basketball; Kavitha A. Davidson, New York-based Sports Writer; and Dr. Lindsey Darvin, Assistant Professor in the Sport Management Department at SUNY Cortland.

For additional information about the webinar, including registration details and access to BSN SPORTS’ platform of over 180 free webinars hosted to date, individuals can click here.

Terry Babilla, President of BSN SPORTS, commented, “Title IX ushered in a new era in women’s sports and advanced long-overdue legislation to ensure equal participation. Importantly, however, hard work remains to ensure Title IX’s lofty goals are truly met and – to that end – we are proud to have partnered with Under Armour to continue driving progress through our joint ‘Women of Will’ program. Our joint sponsorship of the ‘Empowering Coaches to Inspire The Next Generation’ webinar is consistent with this effort. The panel discussion, in particular, will facilitate a candid dialogue about Title IX’s unquestionably beneficial impact while addressing the dedicated focus still needed to sustainably uplift and empower women in sports.”

Erin Lensky, Women’s Sales and Team Sports Manager, Under Armour, commented, “The 50th anniversary of Title IX is not just a landmark celebration, but rather an opportunity for additional engagement to continuing advancing women’s sports on a national scale. We are committed to supporting women in their efforts to achieve excellence both on the field and within our organization, and look forward to hearing from the impressive group of panelists on their unique experiences and perspectives regarding Title IX’s impact on women’s sports.”

BSN SPORTS and its parent company, Varsity Brands, are both committed to empowering women in the workplace through a series of initiatives. BSN SPORTS’ women’s professional development group, Women Empowering Real Change (“WERC”), which was founded in 2018, hosts events throughout the year focused on issues that women often face in the workforce and the importance of diversity in business. It further empowers and connects employees across the platform by providing tools, discussion forums, and engagement opportunities to fuel professional growth and enhance employees’ experiences. BSN SPORTS has also continued to expand its free Social-Emotional Learning (“SEL”) curriculum to help coaches and teachers address inclusion efforts among their schools and athletic programs.

At the Varsity Brands level, employees benefit from diversity and inclusion advisory councils across each division of the company intended to drive more purposeful and intentional conversations around important topics such as race, generational gaps, and leadership, while implementing diversity initiatives and fostering an environment of respect and inclusion for all team members and customers.