The connections between K-pop stars and sports have strengthened over the past few years, most typically taking the form of concerts during matches, promotional partnerships and brand ambassadorships, content agreements, and the like. The growing ties have also led to the emergence of a handful of collaborative merchandise initiatives, some focused on Asia and others […]
Archive | Sports
Stepping Into Pickleball
Collaborations centered on pickleball are still on the rise as the sport continues to grow in popularity with mainstream consumers, both as a spectator and especially as a participant sport. Examples range from designer- and celebrity-driven apparel collections to paddles and other gear tied to all kinds of properties, from Vlasic pickles to the musical […]
Studying the NIL Collective Space
Just over two years ago, in July 2021, the NIL era began in the collegiate licensing sector, enabling students to generate revenue from licensing deals and other commercial activities tied to their names, images, and likenesses. Immediately after that, the first NIL collectives were formed. These are organizations that are independent from but affiliated with […]
Mascot Mania
Sports and cultural festivals in China give birth to extensive licensing programs, often centered on a cute mascot, with the design of the mascots and the products often highlighting elements of traditional Chinese culture. These initiatives typically inspire hundreds and sometimes thousands of products sold through official shops near the venue and online through sites […]
A Full Court Press on Entertainment-and-Sports Team-Ups
Collaborations that pair properties from the world of entertainment and sports have been on the rise in the past year, as animated IP, musicians, and preschool characters team with athletes, clubs, and leagues in innovative ways. This is not a new phenomenon; however, a higher-than-average amount of energy has been devoted to this type of […]
Clear and Compliant
A fashion trend was born when operators of sports contests, music festivals, concerts, and other big gatherings, due to security concerns, began requiring ticket holders to carry bags that were clear and limited in size, in lieu of traditional backpacks and purses, in order to gain entry. Enterprising designers, seeing sports and music fans replace […]
Tour de Collaboration
The pairing of cycling gear with fashion, art, and lifestyle labels—a trend that fashion industry watchers trace back to Rapha’s first collaboration with designer Paul Smith in 2007—continues to flourish in 2023, with a number of high-end cycling apparel brands announcing capsules with notable names in the fashion and lifestyle segments. Here is a look […]
The Lure of Lacrosse
Lacrosse, which originated in Native American culture going back to the 12th century, has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. for over a decade, according to research from the National Sporting Goods Association, the NCAA, and other associations and researchers. The increase in interest extends to all levels of the sport: professional, […]
Designers Bring Diversity to Hockey
Professional hockey clubs, like pro teams in other sports, are increasingly collaborating with local designers on limited-edition lifestyle apparel collections, many with an eye toward diversity: The Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League introduced a new third jersey at the beginning of this year in collaboration with designer Rhuigi Villaseñor, founder of the luxury […]
A Winning Formula
Three of the leading suppliers of pro sports uniforms and associated merchandise have recently brought to life in the real world the looks worn by fictional sports teams, both new and classic, on the on-screen pitch, rink, or court: Earlier this month, Nike and Warner Bros. introduced a collection of kits for AFC Richmond, the […]