Michael Jordan is said to have held back from wading into political discussions because he was conscious that, "Republicans buy shoes, too" (although the exact context of that quote and its exact wording are matters of debate) - rising Baltimore sportswear company Under Armour has taken a different approach as its founder has endorsed US President Donald Trump.

Its CEO Kevin Plank told CNBC that the new US President is a "real asset."

"He wants to build things. He wants to make bold decisions and be really decisive.

"I'm a big fan of people that operate in the world of 'publish and iterate' versus 'think, think, think, think, think', so there's a lot that I respect there," the company's founder continued.

Mr Plank is a member of the US President's manufacturing council (although almost off Under Armour's goods are made outside of the US - apart from bespoke pieces from a small facility in Baltimore).

New Balance faced a backlash when it was reported that it supported Trump - although its vice president Matt LeBretton said that in this case his comments had been quoted out of context.

Comeback

When the Under Armour boss was asked about the company's shares recent stagnation he replied, "You know, I think a lot of people bet against Tom Brady the other night, too."

"We have a growth company. You'll never hear us not say that. Current outlook has double digit growth which is close to industry in the sector leading among the leaders there. Our business is so young, our business is really just getting started," he added.