How Champs Sports is using college athletes to plug new gender equity campaign

Foot Locker brand Champs Sports is plugging its financial commitment to women in sports with a new campaign and apparel collection that includes participation from female athletes with strong social media followings. The effort, called “Women Win," involves a partnership with athletic mentorship platform Voiceinsport and its foundation, to which Champs donated $30,000 in March during Women's History Month. The new campaign includes a series of events this month featuring female athletes in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. The first event, on July 17, featured University of Miami basketball players, Hanna and Haley Cavinder — who signed with Champs last year — at a Champs Sports store in Pembroke Pines, Florida—which is an experiential store equipped with a basketball court, VR features and more. The Cavinder twins, who recently transferred to Miami from Fresno State and have a large social media following, are among the female athletes who have seized on "new name, image, and likeness" rules (NIL) that allow college stars to strike endorsement deals. The Pembroke event included a charitable footwear giveback program, as well as a basketball workout that included the girl's team from Miramar's Everglades High School. The Cavinder twins plugged the event to their Instagram page, as part of Champs broader marketing plan that includes “Women Win," content on the brand's social channels, as well as on the social accounts of other athletes participating in the program. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Champs Sports Women (@champssports.womens) Other programs, like a Reebok workout class, an Under Armour-sponsored event, and a Voiceinsport panel discussion, will be held in various cities across the country, with former WNBA player Ty Young and Cornell University volleyball player, Sydney Moore. "Our team at Champs Sports is proud to continue empowering women in sports who serve as an inspiration each day," said Guy Harkless, senior VP and general manager of Champs Sports, in a press release. "These women possess the ethos that Champs Sports prides itself on and we're proud to provide a platform that shines a light on the collective voices helping to drive the future of women's sports." Voiceinsport and Champs Sports will also be launching a product capsule collection called "moreVIS," this month. The collection includes a hoodie for $60 and t-shirt at $25, with all proceeds going toward funding memberships for women athletes to access Voiceinsport mental health and nutrition services, according to the brand. Women featured in the campaign will be sporting the products, available at the Champs Sports Homefield store and at ChampsSports.com. Additional participating athletes include Maddy Price from Team Canada’s Track & Field team and WNBA player Kristine Anigwe. "We're proud to team up with Champs Sports for this impactful campaign," said Stef Strack, founder and CEO of Voiceinsport, in a statement. "The Champs Sports team has been a great partner and they truly stand by the mission of giving women in sports the voice they deserve." Many footwear and athleticwear brands are joining in on the wave of women-centric advertising in fitness. This March, rapper Saweetie became the new face of Champion, in a campaign called “Get it Girl” focusing on body positivity and self-love. That same month, Canadian retailer Lululemon released a short film for its first women running shoe collection, Blissful, about women’s feet.

How Champs Sports is using college athletes to plug new gender equity campaign

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