Licensing & Merchandising
Features
NBA 2K engagement and e-commerce support NBA licensing amid brick-and-mortar lockdown
Matthew Glendinning explores how NBA licensing revenues have fared during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the basketball league taking many positives from e-commerce and esports
Asian e-commerce live streams attract early-mover sports properties
Ecommerce live streams are a growing phenomenon in online retail in Asia, and sports businesses are starting to dip their toes in the water.
“Change is hard” – Los Angeles Rams refresh brand identity to mixed reception from fans
To coincide with their move to a new stadium, the LA Rams have unveiled a dramatic new look. Bob Williams speaks to Rams CMO Ronalee Zarate-Bayani about the process behind the redesign
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.
ICC launches merchandising ITT for upcoming World Cups in India
The International Cricket Council has begun the tender process to select a host country merchandise licensing partner and an online merchandise partner for the Men’s T20 World Cup next year, and the M…
F1 signs multi-year deal with Topps
The Formula 1 motorsport series has signed an exclusive multi-year partnership with trading cards and collectibles manufacturer Topps
EA Sports adds Kaepernick to Madden NFL 21 video game
Colin Kaepernick remains excluded from the National Football League but the high-profile quarterback is making a virtual return in EA Sports' Madden NFL 21 video game
Ex-IMG licensing executive Gresswell fully launches consultancy
Simon Gresswell, formerly vice-president for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and international at IMG Worldwide Licensing, has formally launched his independent sports licensing consultancy
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
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.