Brandtree

Who owns Champion?

Champion, an apparel brand, is owned by Authentic Brands (the United States), which acquired the brand on 30 September 2024 for $1.2 billion.[1][2] Champion was founded in 1919 in Rochester, New York and was independent until 2024.

This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.

Evidence: Authentic Brands Group — about, Authentic Brands Group LLC. Last checked .

Key facts

Current owner
Authentic Brands Group LLC reported
Owned since
· deal details
Acquisition price
$1.2 billion (enterprise value)
Previous owner
Independent (1919–2024)
Owner HQ
🇺🇸 United States, New York, New York
Origin
🇺🇸 United States, Rochester, New York
Founded
1919
Category
Apparel, footwear & accessories › Fashion apparel › Casual & denim
Last verified
· 2 sources

About Champion

Champion invented the hooded sweatshirt in the 1930s for labourers working in cold warehouses, and the reverse weave construction that stops it shrinking lengthways. Authentic Brands acquired it in 2024 for about $1.2 billion. Its reverse weave construction turns the fabric ninety degrees so shrinkage happens across the width rather than the length, which is why the garments keep their shape.

Ownership timeline of Champion

Owners of Champion over 1919 to 2026 Authentic Brands 2024–present 192019401960198020002020
  1. 2024 – present Authentic Brands — acquired 30 September 2024 [1][2] reported

Where Champion sits in Authentic Brands

Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.

Where Champion sits in Authentic Brands Tree of 6 brands under Authentic Brands. Authentic Brands Champion Brooks Brothers Eddie Bauer Forever 21 Nautica Reebok

Open the full Authentic Brands ownership tree →

See the full Authentic Brands brand portfolio (6) →

Other brands owned by Authentic Brands

Authentic Brands controls 6 brands on Brandtree, 6 of them in apparel, footwear & accessories.

Also in apparel, footwear & accessories

All Authentic Brands brands →

Other brands in casual & denim, and who owns them

The 133 brands in casual & denim on Brandtree belong to 59 owners. The largest is Azzas 2154, with 8; Authentic Brands has 2.

BrandOwnerOwner based in
Fábula Azzas 2154 🇧🇷 Brazil
Carter's Carter's 🇺🇸 United States
Duck Head Oxford Industries 🇺🇸 United States
Cortefiel Tendam 🇪🇸 Spain
& Other Stories H&M Group 🇸🇪 Sweden
Bershka Inditex 🇪🇸 Spain
GU Fast Retailing 🇯🇵 Japan
BSX Giordano 🇭🇰 Hong Kong

Every brand in casual & denim and its owner →

About the owner: Authentic Brands

Authentic Brands is a privately held company headquartered in New York, New York, United States, founded in 2010. Brandtree records 6 brands under its control.

Authentic Brands buys trademarks rather than businesses. It owns the names and licenses them to operators who actually make and sell the products, so a shop with its brand above the door is usually run by someone else entirely. It also owns the estates of several dead celebrities.

Authentic Brands: full profile, brands and acquisition history →

🇺🇸 Champion and other American brands

Brandtree records a controlling owner for 2,549 brands that began in the United States. 478 of them (19%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country; Champion is not one of them.

All American brands and who owns them →

Deals involving Champion

Acquisition closed

Authentic Brands acquires Champion

Authentic Brands acquired Champion from Hanesbrands for about $1.2 billion. Champion had invented the hooded sweatshirt in the 1930s for labourers working in cold warehouses, and its reverse weave construction is still the reason the garments keep their shape.

Value
$1.2bn
Seller
—
Regulatory
None recorded

Frequently asked questions

Who is the parent company of Champion?

The parent company of Champion is Authentic Brands, a privately held company headquartered in the United States.

Is Champion American?

Yes. Champion originated in the United States in 1919 and its owner, Authentic Brands, is also headquartered in the United States.

When did Authentic Brands buy Champion?

Authentic Brands completed its acquisition of Champion on 30 September 2024, after announcing the deal on 5 June 2024. The deal was valued at $1.2 billion (enterprise value).

Who owned Champion before Authentic Brands?

Champion was an independent company from its founding in 1919 in Rochester, New York until Authentic Brands acquired it in 2024.

Is Champion still owned by Authentic Brands?

Yes. As of 16 September 2026, Champion is still owned by Authentic Brands. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.

Sources (2) & corrections

Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.

  1. [1] Authentic Brands Group — about — Authentic Brands Group LLC, Official document; retrieved 16 September 2026.
  2. [2] Authentic Brands Group completes acquisition of Brooks Brothers — Authentic Brands Group LLC, Official press release, published 30 September 2020; retrieved 16 September 2026. This link no longer opens the document.

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