Esports have been growing as an extracurricular activity in high schools since the early 2020s and, more recently, have extended into middle schools and even the older elementary grades as well. The trend is global, with one organization, the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF), having 9,000 member clubs and more than 130 […]
Tag Archives | National Football League
Turning Up The Heat
Heated clothing is a segment of the apparel, accessories, and footwear category that is about to hit its peak selling season in the Northern hemisphere. These pieces, which include battery-powered heating elements to keep people warm when spending long periods outdoors, represent a small portion of licensing deals within the apparel industry. But it is […]
Clomping Through an Era of Clog Collabs
Crocs announced a long-term license with the National Football League this week, marking the first time the league has partnered with the footwear brand. Branded shoes and Jibbitz charms for 14 teams will launch first, followed by products for the other 18 teams; other categories such as bags will roll out later. This is just […]
Branding for Babies
The 2025 ABC Kids Expo was held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center May 21 to 23, overlapping with Licensing Expo 2025 in an adjacent exhibition space. The event is focused on baby toys, apparel, books, gifts, strollers, furniture, feeding systems, and other gear, with exhibitors ranging from the biggest players in the space to small […]
Homegrown Hits
Individual teams that are members of the leading U.S.-based pro sports leagues have increasingly been pairing with local fashion labels—mostly of the streetwear genre—for clothing collaborations available only in their home markets. Clubs in all five of the major leagues have served as examples of this phenomenon: National Football League. The Cincinnati Bengals paired with […]
Tokens of Gratitude
By Karen Raugust on May 21, 2020 in Branding/marketing, COVID-19, Design and content themes, Licensing
In the last few weeks, a handful of licensors and licensees have launched marketing campaigns and/or product lines built around thanking the medical professionals and other essential workers who have been risking their health to care for the sick or fill the population’s basic needs during the COVID-19 crisis. While a number of companies involved […]
Taking a Chance on Sports Betting
In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The decision effectively allowed states to legalize sports betting—outside of Nevada, where it was already legal—although there are some court challenges ongoing related to the Wire Act that may alter the landscape somewhat. In the year and a half since […]
Going for the Win
Deals announced in summer and fall 2019 illustrate some of the key current trends in the sports licensing business: Rising activity around women’s sports. The English Netball League, a 90-plus-year-old women’s sports entity, signed a deal with British retailer Oasis for a range of apparel, with players Ama Agbze, Eboni Usoro-Brown, and Jade Clarke appearing […]