Sports Media Report
Rich Paul announced today the creation of Klutch Athletics, a new Black-owned sportswear brand co-authored with New Balance. The brand will support and serve all athletes throughout their athletic journey including youth, collegiate and professional sports. The launch collection for Klutch Athletics will deliver high-quality training apparel meant to uplift and empower all athletes, regardless of gender or sport.
“I’m thrilled to create Klutch Athletics to focus on supporting athletes and the communities in which they live and play,” Paul said. “There’s a gap right now that we can fill – creating training product that is functional, but with style. We’ve seen other brands moving away from youth sports and training, so we’re focused on bringing the new look of training for the next generation. And there’s no one better than New Balance to build this with. I have a long history with them, I know we share similar values, and everything they are doing right now from product to athletes to collaborations is leading culture.”
“Together, with Rich Paul and Klutch Athletics, our shared goal is to create a unique product collection and storytelling vision that celebrates the intersection of youth sport and culture,” said New Balance Chief Marketing Officer and SVP of Merchandising Chris Davis. “Rich has deep cultural roots in the world of sport and together we will realize a vision that has yet to be seen by the modern-day athlete. We always strive to take a differentiated approach – this partnership truly exemplifies our independent mindset as a brand.”
Introductory pieces in the Klutch Athletics apparel line will deliver on the need for men’s, women’s and youth training apparel with style and functionality. The color inspiration will come from New Balance’s iconic greys, fading from the darkest to the lightest gray in the palette, delivering a compelling color narrative. The greys will be complemented by a touch of green, representing where young athletes first fell in love with the game on their field of play.
“Connecting community, athletes and culture is at the heart of this partnership,” said New Balance SVP of Global Apparel Julie Pike. “With this in mind, we created intentional pieces that blend performance and style to deliver training apparel for the next generation of athletes. Our hope is these intentional pieces become the most loved items in the athletes’ wardrobe.”
In addition to New Balance’s world-class design team, Klutch Athletics Chief Design Officer David Creech helped bring the apparel line to life.
“We designed the line to help athletes perform their best and look good while doing it,” Creech said. “It will deliver products for all athletes, regardless of sport or gender. We understand what athletes want – product that helps them perform while reflecting the love they have for sport and their community. Every design element of Klutch Athletics apparel has a story, from the branding to the color palette to the product details – everything has a purpose.”
The Klutch Athletics debut apparel line will be available for purchase starting April 27 online and at select retail locations. Suggested retail prices range from $40 for t-shirts to $120 for hoodies.
