BTS Star V Joins Champion's 'True Champion' Fall Campaign in Global Partnership
Champion, the American sportswear brand founded in 1919, has signed a global partnership with V of the K-pop group BTS, placing him in its new "True Champion" fall campaign alongside athletes, musicians and creators from several countries. The campaign launches globally on a Monday, according to WWD.
V, whose given name is Kim Taehyung, joins a cast that already includes Romeo Beckham, the electronic duo Sofi Tukker, NBA player Kyle Kuzma, Mexican singer and actress Danna Paola, US footballer Megan Keller, Olympic swimmer Bella Sims and actor Jaalen Best. The breadth of the lineup signals the brand's intent to reach consumers across music, sport and entertainment markets in a single push.
Champion is owned by Authentic Brands Group, a brand-management and licensing company founded and chaired by Jamie Salter. Authentic acquired Champion from HanesBrands for $1.2 billion, adding the century-old label — once a fixture of US college athletics and, more recently, a streetwear staple — to a portfolio that includes Forever 21, Reebok and Sports Illustrated. Stefani Fleurant, executive vice president of marketing, sport and lifestyle at Authentic Brands Group, oversees the Champion brand's market positioning.
For V, the partnership extends a reach that already spans music and fashion. He released his solo album "Layover" in 2023; it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, the chart of the most-consumed albums in the United States. In 2024 he collaborated with Bing Crosby on a duet version of "White Christmas," pairing the late crooner's original vocals with new recordings. He has more than 76 million followers on Instagram, an audience that dwarfs the reach of most traditional advertising buys.
What gives the partnership its commercial logic is the intersection of that audience and Champion's position under new ownership. Authentic Brands Group operates by acquiring recognised labels and expanding them through licensing partnerships across geographies and product categories — a model that depends on attaching familiar faces to re-energised brands. A K-pop star with a top-charting solo album and a nine-figure social following fits that template precisely.
The other campaign participants bring their own audiences. Kuzma plays for an NBA team that draws a global television audience. Danna Paola has tens of millions of Spanish-language followers across streaming platforms. Keller and Sims connect the campaign to women's sport ahead of a 2028 Olympic cycle in Los Angeles. V is the piece that connects it to the K-pop economy, where fan engagement drives measurable spikes in streaming, merchandise and brand search.
Neither Champion nor V's representatives have disclosed financial terms of the partnership, the campaign's media spend, or the duration of the agreement. The campaign's imagery and video components are expected to roll out across digital and out-of-home placements from its Monday launch date.
