Kim Kardashian's Skims deepens women's sports ties with volleyball league deal
The popular undergarments brand started by star Kim Kardashian and Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede will become the official loungewear, intimates and sleepwear partner of the emerging volleyball league. They did not disclose the size of the deal.
The partnership comes as Skims has been ramping up its efforts in the women's sports category. In February, the company announced it was teaming up with Nike as it looks to win over more women and take on competitors such as Lululemon, Alo Yoga and Vuori.
League One Volleyball — or LOVB, pronounced "love" — was founded in 2020 and consists of the largest community of youth volleyball clubs in the country. LOVB launched a professional league in January.
"This partnership with LOVB is an exciting opportunity to expand our reach at the intersection of fashion, culture and sports," said Grede, co-founder and CEO of Skims.
Skims said as part of the sponsorship deal, the brand will also participate in the LOVB community, including athlete-driven events and leaguewide activations. The brand said it plans to help elevate the voices of female athletes of all levels and highlight volleyball's growth across the U.S.
"Together, we look forward to inspiring confidence and empowering athletes at every level through innovative products, community activations, and storytelling that celebrates the athletes on and off the court," Kardashian, co-founder and chief creative officer of Skims, said in a statement.
Skims sees huge potential in volleyball, calling it "America's next major sports league." In recent years, the sport has seen huge upticks both in fans and television ratings.
In 2023, 92,000 fans recorded the largest-ever crowd for a women's sports event when the Nebraska Cornhuskers' women's team took on the Omaha Mavericks.
The 2024 Women's NCAA Volleyball Tournament was the most-consumed ever for ESPN, with more than 1.3 billion minutes watched across its platforms, according to the network. The entirety of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament finished up 41% year over year, ESPN said.
In May 2024, ESPN secured the media rights for League One pro matches.
"Partnering with Skims is an incredible milestone for our league and clubs," said Michelle McGoldrick, LOVB's chief business officer. "Together, we're not only supporting our remarkable athletes on their journey to becoming household names, but also helping to inspire the next generation of players and fans."
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