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 […]
Archive | Sports
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 […]
Will Sports IPs Bet on Prediction Markets?
Prediction markets are exchange platforms that allow users to buy and sell contracts whose value is tied to the outcome of specific future events. It is essentially investing in — many observers would say betting on — whether a certain event will occur, with values based on probabilities, supply and demand, and other factors. On […]
Clothing Labels Call on Cricket Players
In cricket-obsessed India, athletes known for their prowess on the pitch are increasingly pairing with fashion companies for capsule collections, brand ambassadorships (which can ultimately lead to capsules), or both. Examples of the growing number of partnerships arising in the last couple of years include the following: Skechers partnered with Mohammed Siraj in September 2025, […]