Under Armour inks apparel deal with Premier League’s Tottenham Hotspur

Shares of Under Armour Inc. hit a 52-week high at one point in trading Tuesday after the sporting apparel company announced its first partnership with a Barclays Premier League team.

Under Armour said Tuesday it had entered into a sponsorship deal with the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Starting in the 2012-2013 season, the Baltimore-based apparel company will provide Tottenham Hotspur with training wear and playing kits along with replica gear for fans.

“We are delighted that Under Armour will become our new technical partner from 2012 onwards,” Daniel Levy, chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, said in a prepared statement. “They are an extremely ambitious brand with global aspirations, making them ideal partners for Tottenham Hotspur.”

Terms of the deal were not released, but the Associated Press reported the five-year deal was worth $81 million, making it Under Armour’s biggest European sponsorship. The Spurs’ previous sponsorship deal was with German apparel company Puma.

Shares of Under Armour closed at $69.49, up $1.63 — a 2.4 percent increase — in New York Stock Exchange trading.

Tottenham Hotspur, located in North London, was founded in 1882 and finished in fourth place in the 2009-2010 season, where it qualified for the Champions League. The club now faces AC Milan in the round of 16 and plays next on Wednesday.

Under Armour’s other European sponsorship deals include Bundesliga side Hannover 96 and the Welsh Rugby Union.

The Tottenham deal comes as the company has stepped up endorsement deals in recent weeks.

In February, Under Armour also procured the rights to produce and distribute cleats carrying the Major League Baseball logo. Baltimore Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis, Boston Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon and Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman already wear Under Armour gear.

In November, the company signed New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady — a three-time Super Bowl winner and six-time Pro Bowler — to a sponsorship deal. Brady will wear the company’s apparel and footwear and will debut a new customized Under Armour Fierce football cleat.

Outside of football, Under Armour has endorsement deals with swimmer Michael Phelps and skier Lindsey Vonn. For its basketball shoes, the company signed Brandon Jennings of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.

Also this month, Under Armour rolled out its latest product in its bid to wrest market share from companies like Nike Inc. Under Armour released its “Charged Cotton” line of T-shirts, the company’s first move away from synthetic materials.