Cross-licensing programs pairing characters and sports properties have been on the upswing globally, with more teams and leagues and more character IPs getting involved. In South Korea, such initiatives are regular features of the pro baseball season each year. Merchandise almost always depicts the characters wearing the uniforms of the respective teams. The product assortment […]
Archive | Sports
Pro Leagues and Teams Appreciate Hard Work(wear)
Workwear brands have increasingly become key partners for pro leagues and their individual teams, especially over the past few years. The leagues are looking to be ever more fashion-forward, and workwear fits right in with streetwear trends, while also maintaining continued loyalty from consumers who rely on these rugged pieces at the job site. There […]
Holding All the Cards
Interest in trading card collecting — which, like many hobbies, was rejuvenated during the pandemic lockdowns — is still going strong, with consumer sales of cards on both the primary and secondary markets on the rise. As a result, sports and entertainment properties continue to actively forge agreements in the category. Following are some of […]
Bringing in the Heavy Hitters
Pairings of sports entities and character/entertainment properties — for merchandise, experiences, content, and/or promotions — have traditionally featured entertainment properties with all-ages followings or properties that skew toward the teen-and-older demographic. The former include the likes of Hello Kitty and the other Sanrio characters, the Disney/Lucasfilm/Marvel family, the Minions, and the Looney Tunes, while the […]
Embracing Change in Collegiate Licensing
The collegiate sports market has been experiencing upheaval over the past several years, with the advent and evolution of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities; growth in athlete transfers; coaching turnover; conference realignment; revenue sharing with athletes; and more. These trends are accompanied by broader issues impacting colleges and universities, such as falling enrollments and […]
Collections Score Points with Padel Players
Padel is following in the footsteps of pickleball as a fast-rising racket sport that is starting to make a mark in the licensing business. Originating in Spain, padel — which combines elements of tennis, squash, racketball, and tennis — counts 35 million players around the world as of the end of 2025, according to the […]
Local Collabs Bridge Art and Sports
Historically, sports teams and art museums have not seen much overlap in their commercial activities. But museums are increasingly featuring exhibits about the intersection of art and sports, as a means of enticing new audiences to visit and getting them to think about art in a new way. Among recent examples, the McNay Art Museum […]
Licensees Kick Off World Cup Season
The FIFA World Cup comes to North America, in locations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, from June 11 through July 19, 2026. This year’s event takes place in one of the world’s biggest consumer markets and, in the case of the U.S., one of the fastest-growing markets for soccer. The competition has also expanded […]
No Horsing Around With Equestrian Fashion
Much has been made about the long-running cowboycore or western fashion trend. But a parallel and related trend — equestrian-inspired fashion, which takes its cues from British riding sports like dressage and show jumping — has also been on the rise, hitting a high in fall 2025 and continuing into 2026, which happens to be […]
Studios’ Altcasts Play the Long Game
Character-centric altcasts of pro sports events have become regular occurrences over the past five years, with three of the four of the biggest U.S. pro sports leagues; studios including Disney, Nickelodeon, and Warner Bros.; and networks including ESPN, TNT, and CBS all involved. These alternative viewing feeds are real-time simulcasts of pro sports games in […]