Licensing and Merchandising
Features
Wolves turns to Ipsos’ retail monitoring to understand the customer journey
Why Premier League side Wolves has engaged Ipsos Retail Performance's footfall-counting technology in its club megastore.
Golf industry searches for path forward amid uncertainty at merchandise show
With golf participation rates falling, M. James Ward looks at how the merchandise and equipment business is working to attract new audiences.
Rights to beloved Phillie Phanatic mascot in dispute after more than 40 years
Legal battle revives tension that previously existed between the MLB club and the design firm that helped create iconic character.
Ice cream and Kimekomi dolls | Developing a licensing programme for the Rugby World Cup in Japan
IMG Licensing says it has secured contracts with 25 Japanese licensees and 21 global licensees for this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan. Ben Cronin reports.
‘Brown as a bear’: Shock, awe and despair as prized autographs ruined by defective baseballs
Browning has marred thousands of once-valuable autographed baseballs, with the precise cause of the damage still unknown. Dennis Tuttle examines the impact on the baseball collectibles market
Topps expands trading card line with artist collaborations
"Project 2020" will see classic baseball cards reinterpreted by a broad mix of modern artists
Los Angeles Rams unveil new logo, color scheme ahead of SoFi Stadium move
The National Football League's Los Angeles Rams have unveiled a new brand identity, which is timed to coincide with the team's scheduled move to the $5bn SoFi Stadium for the start of the 2020 season
Tampa Bay Buccaneers enjoy merchandise sales spike following Brady’s arrival
The National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers have enjoyed an immediate merchandise sales spike following the arrival of legendary quarterback Tom Brady
Logitech G partners with T1 in Lagardère-brokered deal
Gaming equipment brand Logitech G has agreed a sponsorship deal with South Korean esports organisation T1 Entertainment & Sports, brokered by the Lagardère Sports agency.
Mickey Mantle: In death, still king of the collectors’ world
Dead since 1995, the revered Hall of Famer still commands a lofty position among baseball memorabilia collectors
PGA Tour Superstore revolutionizes sports retail sector as Home Depot of golf
Following the decline of a number of US sporting goods chains, Bob Williams talks to Dick Sullivan, president and chief executive of the PGA Tour Superstore, which has expanded from 10 stores in 2010 to 41 locations in 16 states, about what is behind the success of the chain.
Jennifer Van Dijk from Wasserman in conversation at SDMS Miami 2019
Jennifer van Dijk, Executive Vice President, Marketing at Wasserman speaking on the Power of the Athlete panel at the Sports Decision Makers Summit in Miami.
Guillaume Sabran, UEFA – Fixing UEFA’s digital disconnect opened new doors to partnerships
Speaking on a panel discussing the ‘Data Dimension’ in sponsorship, Guillaume Sabran says Uefa changed its strategy after Euro 2016, having noted that fans were consuming the event on social media and…
Time to monetise | The football clubs turning Chinese engagement into revenues
Many European football clubs are aiming to convert their large Chinese fanbases into significant new revenue streams. However, they must adapt to this complex market in order to capitalise on its huge potential. Jonathan Dyson reports from Shanghai.
Spurs and Somerset lead the way on growing retail through social, but clubs still leaving money on the table
Research from marketing agency Red Hot Penny suggests clubs across the UK need major rethink of how they convert social engagement into retail sales
After Paysandu shows the way, Brazil’s smaller clubs reap dividends of white-label kit deals
Paysandu Sport Club end agreement with Puma to enter white-label deal with garment maker
Share of shirt sales increases from 10% to between 25 and 30%
US Polo Association punches above its weight with $1.6bn licensing programme
The US Polo Association's disproportionate success in the category licensing looks to be attributable to a farsighted and disciplined strategy, mixed with a degree of good timing. Ben Cronin examines how it has built a $1.6bn annual business.
Fast fashion comes to Asia | Q&A Masanori Kawana, managing director, Fanatics Japan
Masanori Kawana, managing director, Fanatics Japan, came to prominence in October when he signed the company’s first vertical merchandising deal in Asia with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Here he speaks to Ben Cronin about the prospects for the company's fast fashion model in Asia.
NBA turns South Korean fashionistas into basketball fans with MK Trend partnership
NBA licenses clothing company MK Trend to create casual and lifestyle-focused clothing for South Koreans
IOC develops global e-commerce platform to build licensing programme between Games
• Ambition to create licensing programme set out in Agenda 2020
• Organisation creates three categories to trade on heritage, iconography and values of the Olympics
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PSG strengthens global ambitions with Jordan Brand partnership
Players will wear Jumpman logo in Champions League games after three-year deal with Nike subsidiary
Co-branded apparel and footwear collection extends club's entry into world of fashion
FFF hopes to capitalise on World Cup win with regional sponsorship deals and product licensing
The victory of the French men’s national team in the Fifa World Cup has triggered performance bonuses in three of its sponsorship deals and opened up new product licensing and regional sponsorship opportunities. Ben Cronin speaks to FFF marketing director François Vasseur about the commercial impact of the win.
All upside for NFL from ‘win-win’ Nike-Fanatics deal
The NFL will get a healthy increase in combined sponsorship and licensed merchandise revenue from its three-way agreement with sporting goods brand Nike and the online sports retailer Fanatics, industry…
China Digest | Second Formula E team becomes Chinese-owned
In this week's China sports industry round-up: Second Formula E team becomes Chinese-owned; US-China trade war threatens sportswear production; Chinese World Cup attendance will be strong, if overstated
Making merchandise meaningful | Steve Davis, head of international, Fanatics
Steve Davis tells Ben Cronin how Fanatics is developing additional international merchandising opportunities for its existing roster of clients and forging new relationships with European and Asian rights-holders.
The Golden goose | How the Knights hit the jackpot in Vegas
In just half a season, the Golden Knights NHL expansion team has captured the imagination of the US sports world with its success on the ice and, just as importantly, shattered the long-standing myth that Las Vegas is not a viable market for a major sports team.
Leaders Week | Sponsorship, data, digital media and esports
Matthew Glendinning reports on some of the highlights from the Leaders Week conference in London.
Fake news | Major brands take on China’s counterfeiters
With New Balance beating 'parasite brands' in a Chinese court and Liverpool FC launching a cut-price kit to beat the counterfeiters, major brands are clearly taking the theft of intellectual property seriously. Mark Dreyer finds out more.