Licensing Sports Book 2023

According to Licensing International’s 2023 Global Licensing Industry Study, the sports category was among the three top performing growth property categories last year, up 19.5%.

Notably, sports properties now account for the third largest share of all property categories, commanding 11% of the market, overtaking the fashion category for the first time since Licensing International has been running the study.

It’s a ripe backdrop to launch a dedicated sports licensing publication, and the Max team has thoroughly enjoyed the deep dive into the sector.

But the truth is that we’re still only scratching the surface – both of what’s already happening in the sports licensing space and the opportunity and ultimate potential for future growth.

For our debut issue, we’ve aimed to collect different voices from across the spectrum and, in doing so, we’ve opened up – perhaps unwittingly in some cases - a multitude of conversations and opinions.

Samantha Loveday - Group Editor Ian Hyder - Chief Executive Officer

Jakki Brown - Managing Director and Editorial Director

Rob Willis - Chief Operating Officer

Mark Grayson - Creative Director

Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk

From ‘borderless internationalism’ and the impact that fans following players wherever they go is having on the opportunities for merchandising, to the multi-pronged attack that is needed to tackle the issue of counterfeiting. From Kids Industries’ findings on sports fandom to Fanatics’ ‘fan first’ approach. And from the fever that gripped England when the Lionesses roared their way to victory at Euro 2022 and through to the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and how this is just the tip of the iceberg in women’s sport and its appeal to consumers.

Both BLE (4-6 October) and the Sports Merchandise & Licensing Show (17 October) will further highlight the passion – from both brand owners and licensees – in the sector… passion which is reflecting that shown by fans for their favourite teams. We hope you enjoy the issue - please do share your thoughts with us at BLE or SMLS.

The Licensing Sports Book Team

Samantha Loveday, Robert Hutchins, Ian Hyder, Rob Willis,

PUBLISHERS OF

SPORTS BOOK

Copyright 2023. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

ISSN 25158643.

Jakki Brown and Mark Grayson.

Inset: The Lionesses success is just the tip of the iceberg in women’s sport and its appeal to consumers.

57

58-59

61

Front runners

Fanatics scores with Harry Kane

Fanatics has secured an exclusive, multi-year partnership with England captain and record goal scorer, Harry Kane

Through the relationship, Harry becomes the first ever British athlete to exclusively partner with Fanatics’ memorabilia and autographs division.

Under the terms of the partnership - which is the first deal of its type for Harry - Fanatics will become the sole distributor of Harry’s full assortment of sought-after autographs, collectables and memorabilia, including match-used items from his club and international career.

“For the past decade, Harry Kane has been one of the most iconic players in English football, and we are delighted to welcome him as the first ever British athlete to join the Fanatics team,” commented Victor Shaffer, evp at Fanatics. “We look forward to creating a first-class shopping experience for his fans as he continues to add to his glittering career, including the widest assortment of his officially licensed items ever offered.”

Hy-Pro inks UEFA Euro 2024 deal

Danilo strengthens sports portfolio

Greetings and calendar specialist, Danilo is continuing to strengthen its sports offer. The licensee has both the official England Women’s Football 2024 Calendar and the England Men’s Football 2024 Calendar in its roster, while it is also offering Women’s football calendars for Premiership teams including Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Outside of football, Danilo is celebrating a number of 2023’s other major sporting events including the Rugby World Cup in France and the Cricket T20 World Cup in Australia, following the thrilling Ashes series which took place in the summer.

Danilo will be publishing calendars for the England Cricket teams (men and women) as well as England, Scotland and Wales Rugby Union teams. In addition, Danilo has welcomed a new calendar for the Tour de France this year which includes vibrant imagery from the renowned cycling event, as well as a pull-out map of the 2023 route.

Above: The Tour de France has joined Danilo’s portfolio.

Hy-Pro International has confirmed a pan-European licensing deal with Fanatics for UEFA Euro 2024, being played in Germany next year.

The deal covers multiple product categories including play balls, drinkware, bags, goals and accessories, with products launching from April 2024.

“We are delighted to have secured the licensing rights for this event,” commented Blake Taylor, sports category manager at Hy-Pro. “Following the World Cup in Qatar last year, it’s great to have a major football tournament back during the traditional summer period and to have it in such a football mad country as Germany is very exciting. We look forward to working with all of our key retailers to deliver a truly incredible event.”

Right: The new deal covers multiple product categories.

From sports star collaborations and sustainability pledges, through to new dedicated store openings, licensee activity and new company debuts, LSB rounds up some of the latest happenings from across the sports spectrum.

The Joie Stadium makes its debut

Manchester City has confirmed baby gear brand, Joie as the Official Stadium Naming Partner of the Academy Stadium, making it the first club in the Women’s Super League to secure a commercial agreement for its stadium naming rights.

This marks the next phase of the multi-year partnership between Joie and Manchester City as, together, they pledge to introduce and improve family friendly services at the stadium building on City’s commitment to delivering the best possible matchday experience for fans of all ages across all stadium facilities.

Opened in 2014 as part of the Club’s continued investment into East Manchester and the Etihad Campus, the 7,000 capacity stadium is the only purpose-built stadium in the Women’s Super League and is the home of Manchester City Women. In addition, many of City’s Elite Development Squad and youth team matches also take place in the stadium.

“[This] is a further reflection of the importance, growth and commercial appeal of Manchester City Women and the wider women’s game and we are excited to work together with Joie to maximise opportunities for families at our matches,” commented Gavin Makel, md, Manchester City Women.

Internal and external branding featuring the Joie logo will appear across stadium assets, with Joie continuing to activate at every Women’s team fixture, offering exclusive prizes and experiences, and creating bespoke content with the Manchester City Women’s first team.

Below: The new multi-year agreement is an extension of Joie’s current partnership with Manchester City Women.

Edgbaston Stadium makes sustainability strides

Edgbaston Stadium - the home of Warwickshire County Cricket - has become the first ground in the country to achieve a global standard for sustainable events as the organisation’s net zero plans gather pace.

In the latest development of the ground’s journey with sustainable development, Edgbaston has been awarded the British Standards Institute accreditation (BS ISO 20121) in recognition of its Sustainable Event Management System.

All aspects of Edgbaston’s event planning – including the sustainability credentials of the suppliers it works with – have now been assessed.

Edgbaston’s head of sustainability, Lydia Carrington, said: “We are incredibly proud of achieving this accreditation. It will support Edgbaston in achieving our sustainability goals.

“Cricket and the wider sports industry can play a vital role in creating positive, sustainable impact, so having sustainability embedded into our process and policies is crucial.”

You can read more about how the changes taking place within the sports sector to tackle sustainability on pages 46-47.

Above: Edgbaston believes that having sustainability embedded into its process and policies is crucial.

The FA is Playing for the Future

Tottenham Hotspur scores NFL expansion

Tottenham Hotspur and the National Football League have expanded their partnership through the 2029/2030 NFL season.

As part of the deal, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be given official status as the home of the NFL in the UK. Two regular season NFL games a year will continued to be played at the North London stadium –the only stadium which has been purpose built for NFL game outside of the US.

The Football Association has unveiled a new strategy to make a positive impact on the environment by driving biodiversity across its venues and taking a new, more responsible approach to merchandise and team kits.

Revealed in its Playing for the Future sustainability strategy, the FA has outlined its five-year sustainability plan to drive its environmental ambitions until 2028. Alongside rewilding efforts to be introduced to Sunday league football pitches and a move to step up efforts such as recyclability of products and merchandise, the plan will focus across three core areas.

Shoot for Net Zero will be The FA’s mission to fight climate change and reduce emissions by achieving net zero status by 2040. The Association plans to invest over £35m to deliver the ambition as it works towards reducing CO2e emissions by 50% by 2030 from its 2019 baseline, reduce electricity consumption by 30% by 2028, and reduce gas consumption by 20% by 2028.

Under its ‘Save our Resources’ pillar, the FA will reduce resource consumption at its famous Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park. It will also look to minimise the impact of waste through procurement choices, avoiding waste, identifying reuse opportunities, and maximising recyclability.

The organisation has also drawn up a plan to protect biodiversity across all FA venues, enhancing habitats for animals, wildlife, plants, and micro-organisms. Its third pillar, Make an Impact will then work to deliver and govern change across football, using the FA’s position to drive wider environmental and societal change across clubs, leagues and with partners.ortment of his officially licensed items ever offered.”

“Our partnership with the NFL has been integral to our wider vision for the stadium and delivering a sports and entertainment destination in London,” commented Daniel Levy, chairman of Tottenham Hotspur. “Creating additional recurring sources of revenue to reinvest in our football activities is a key part of the club’s financial model. As the NFL continues to grow its fanbase throughout Europe, we are extremely proud to be given official status as the Home of the NFL in the UK and look forward to seeing the excitement that gamedays bring to Tottenham for many more years to come.”

Below: Tottenham Hotspur stadium is the only

Just do it: Nike is world’s most valuable apparel brand

Nike has kept its stride as the reigning champion of apparel brands, valued at US$31.3 billion, according to a new report from brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance.

Every year, Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The world’s top 50 most valuable and strongest apparel brands are included in the annual Brand Finance Apparel 50 2023 ranking.

“From its relentless commitment to innovation, ability to stay ahead of market trends, and extensive partnerships with athletes worldwide, Nike has firmly cemented its place at the top of the apparel industry,” commented Annie Brown, general manager at Brand Finance UK. “In 2023, the brand is continuing to leverage its enormous global influence and reputation to empower positive change in the sporting world and beyond.”

In addition, Nike has the highest Sustainability Perceptions Value in the 2023 apparel ranking, at US$2.3 billion. New Balance (brand value up 11% to US$1.8 billion) has also entered this year’s ranking as ‘one to watch’. The brand’s reputation and popularity are set to soar following the recent triumph of tennis sensation Coco Gauff at the US Open.

Above: The plan will focus across three core areas.

Paris Saint-Germain opens first UK store

Paris Saint-Germain has become the first non-British sports club to open a shop in London, with the Oxford Street outlet having opened in partnership with US sportswear retailer, Lids

The London store builds on the openings of official PSG club stores in Doha, New York, LA, Tokyo, Seoul, Miami and Las Vegas.

PSG has been working over the past decade to ‘raise and enhance the awareness and presence of its brand on every continent’, with the new store further reinforcing the brand’s lifestyle positioning with exclusive collections and collaborations with local talent and designers. Products on sales include the new 2023/24 home and away shirts, training apparel, caps, scarves and figurines of current players

"London is one of the world’s leading capitals of culture and a unique source of inspiration,” commented Fabien Allègre, chief brand officer at PSG. "Paris Saint-Germain is extremely proud to be the first foreign club to set up shop there, on one of the city’s most famous and dynamic shopping streets.

"It is a bold move that demonstrates the club’s remarkable ability to roll its brand out. PSG is delighted to get closer to its British fans and bring them Parisian lifestyle and an immersive ‘Rouge & Bleu’ experience.".

Event Merchandising sees success with Cycling Worlds

Event Merchandising set up shop in Scotland in the summer, hosting a number of retail outlets for the UCI Cycling World Championships

The company was the master licensee for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow and Scotland, which ran from 3-13 August. The role encompassed the management of wholesale, licensing and retail programmes, as well as venue retail operations throughout the Championships.

As the master licensee, Event Merchandising took charge of delivering and retailing licensed products through the official venue shops, local and national retail outlets, as well as the dedicated online store. The outlets included a superstore in George Square.

One of the highlights of the product range was the mascot Coo, along with locally inspired Scottish items such as a dedicated tartan crafted by Lochcarron of Scotland.

F1 backs BBC Children in Need

Silverstone Museum partners with Memento Exclusives

Memento Exclusives –the UK-based sports memorabilia specialist which owns F1 Authentics – now has a presence at the Silverstone Museum, with memorabilia featuring on location. The Silverstone Museum – which opened in 2019 – takes visitors on a journey through the history of motorsport racing through a series of interactive displays. Its mission was to become an educational centre for British motorsport, while exhibiting and preserving artefacts, archives and collections of educational and historical value.

The Memento Exclusives shop includes products such as replica race suits from Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris, race used bodywork, signed 1:2 scale helmets, bodywork accessories and more.

“This is an exciting partnership which has been some time in the making,” commented Barry Gough, founder and ceo at Memento Exclusives and F1 Authentics

Formula 1 is supporting BBC Children in Need through a national F1 23 sim racing tournament that will offer competitors the chance to appear in a live television show later this year, as part of the BBC Children in Need Appeal, while raising funds for the charity.

Competitors have been trying to set their fastest, qualifying lap time around Silverstone on F1 23 – developed by EA Sports – with the 50 fastest drivers from the tournament securing a spot in the ballot. Two competitors will then be selected at random and invited to race in a live show on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three, in November ahead of the BBC Children in Need Appeal.

The tournament began at the British Grand Prix in July and has continued through the summer at various events including the Goodwood Festival of Speed and CarFest, plus other sites across the UK this autumn.

Above: The store includes exclusive collections and collaborations.

Above: Event Merchandising hosted a number of retail outlets for the UCI Cycling World Championships.

Above: Memorabilia now features on location at the Silverstone Museum.

Right: The tournament began at the British Grand Prix in July.

UFC and WWE form new global business

Two iconic and global sports and entertainment brands – UFC and WWE – have come together to form a new company.

TKO Group Holdings is a new publicly listed company, with Endeavor holding a 51% holding controlling interest and existing WWE shareholders holding a 49% interest. Together, UFC and WWE will have global reach and omnichannel distribution - on a combined 2022 fiscal year-end basis, UFC and WWE achieved revenue of $2.4 billion and a 10% annual revenue growth rate since 2019.

“This is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry is headed,” commented Ariel Emanuel, ceo at Endeavor “For decades, Vince [McMahon, executive chairman, WWE] and his team have demonstrated an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder value creation, and we are confident that Endeavor can deliver significant additional value for shareholders by bringing UFC and WWE together.”

UFC and WWE expect to deliver an estimated $50 million to $100 million in identifiable revenue enhancements, with Endeavor expecting significant growth across domestic and international media rights, ticket sales, sponsorship and licensing among other areas.

Endeavor acquired a controlling interest in UFC in 2016, before taking 100% control of the mixed martial arts brand in 2021.

Rugby-inspired beer to raise funds for MND

Ahead of the Rugby World Cup, Wolfpack Brewing Co launched a new charity beer, aimed at raising both funds and awareness for the MND (Motor Neurone Disease) Association

The session IPA is called Second Row to honour the pivotal role the second row plays in a rugby team and mirror the brand’s principles of community and camaraderie.

Wolfpack is a UK based brewery co-founded by international rugby players, Al Hargreaves and Chris Wyles, and has exclusively partnered with Stonegate Group to bring the charity beer to over 400 pubs nationwide. The initiative further honours the founders’ friend and fellow international second row player, Ed Slater, who was recently diagnosed with MND.

A contribution of 20p from every pint of Second Row IPA sold will be donated by Stonegate Group directly to the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

It will be sold until 28 October at participating pubs during the rugby tournament.

“We are proud to partner with Wolfpack and stand with the rugby and MND community to launch Second Row IPA to raise both awareness and important funds in the fight against MND,” commented Melissa Wisdom, chief commercial officer at Stonegate Group

Admiral Sports scores with Walthamstow FC

Admiral Sports has teamed up with Walthamstow FC and the William Morris Gallery in East London to add a touch of flair to the home and away kit for the 2023/24 season.

The new kit features the 1892 ‘Yare’ textile pattern, with the repeating motif having been altered for the home strip to match Walthamstow’s club colours, while the away kit and warm up tracksuit bear the true colours of the original.

The semi-professional football club plays in the Isthmian League Division One North. A percentage of the proceeds of shirt sales will be used to establish a new women’s team in the borough.

“Working on this shirt collaboration has been a special experience. Being able to tap into the William Morris archive of prints allowed us to dream up designs we hadn’t imagined before,” commented Theo Hamburger, head of sales and marketing at Admiral Sports

“I believe that we have produced something that is both a work of art and useable and hope it brings as much joy to the fans and the community as it did to us working on this kit.”

EA Sports FC agrees Premier League deal

The Premier League has signed a new multi-year extension with EA Sports

The deal sees English football’s top division become an official licensee and a lead partner to EA Sports FC, the football simulation game formerly known as FIFA. It means that all 20 clubs, every player and stadium and more from the Premier League will be officially inputted into EA’s first game following the break from football’s governing body. The game is due to launch on 29 September.

The Premier League and EA Sports will also continue to collaborate on programmes such as EA Sports FC Futures and esports tournament, ePremier League.

“Through our long-term partnership, the Premier League and EA Sports have inspired generations of football fans and we look forward to developing this in the years to come,” commented Richard Masters, ceo at the Premier League. “The new EA Sports FC 24 game is a significant evolution which we are proud to be a part of. Beyond this, we will continue to develop existing projects as well as introducing exciting new ones.”

Above: Second Row is helping to raise funds and awareness for the MND Association.

Above: EA Sports FC 24 launches on 29 September.

Above: The Walthamstow FC kit has been given a touch of flair thanks to the collaboration

Arsenal

adds

The Licensing Awards accolade to trophy

Arsenal FC was named Best Sports Licensed Property at The Licensing Awards 2023 in September.

The club fought off competition from The FA, Formula 1, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, NBA, NFL, NFL Players Association and Tottenham Hotspur to lift the trophy in recognition of its licensing activity over the past year.

Deals last year included Arsenal teaming with Transport for London on a five-piece pre-match collection, inspired by the seat pattern which appears on the Piccadilly line trains that run through Arsenal station.

The club’s global licensing manager, Leigh Simpson, was also nominated in the UK Rising Star category. Speaking to LicensingSource.net ahead of The Licensing Awards, he commented: “I’m most proud of the projects that bring our international supporters closer to Arsenal, reinforcing the important role that our licensing programme plays in connecting and engaging with our communities. A recent example was

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retail operation during the 2023 pre-season US Tour, with games in Washington DC,

The Scottish FA celebrates 150 years

The Scottish Football Association is marking 150 years in 2023, and to help celebrate head of retail and kit, Steven Romeo, commissioned various licensed products. A special edition kit has proved popular, and is also available in a premium presentation pack –the men’s sizes sold out online within 15 minutes of launch.

In addition, a commemorative coin from Zenith and a 24 year old malt whisky have been created, with a friendly between Scotland and England played in September to mark the first ever match – officially recognised by FIFA as the first international football match ever played, held on St Andrews Day in 1872.

“Celebrating our 150th anniversary is a huge event for the Scottish FA,” commented Steven. “Over the course of the year we ran multiple events including the anniversary kit launch - this was amazingly well received by the loyal tartan army. We also launched multiple products using our own anniversary crest. The products included mobile phone covers from Nostalgia, exclusive textile ranges from Source Lab, a commemorative coin from Zenith, retro textiles from TOFFS, personalised stadium bricks with Intaglio Creative and even fire pits from Official Fire Pits.”

Above: The Scottish FA is marking 150 years in 2023.

Panini back in the Premier League race

Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL Official Trading Card Game is back for the 2023/24 season, with the company saying that it is ‘bigger, better and more exciting’ than ever.

The 2022/2023 collection saw unprecedented +100% growth in RSV year on year, with further growth expected for this season.

The collection – which benefits from a full redesign –features fresh new card categories, new materials and more real autographs for collectors to chase. For fans of rare cards, new sub-sets and increased product lines featuring limited edition cards have been created, while the sought-after Golden Baller cards have been taken to a new level.

The trading card packets come with a QR code giving access to virtual cards for the online game.

The launch was supported with a heavyweight digital marketing campaign using new creative featuring the ‘Goat of Swaps’ and covering every touchpoint to reach kidults, parents and gifters. Panini brand ambassador, Declan Rice, further helped to strengthen the campaign.

Below: A heavyweight marketing campaign supported the launch of the new season.

managing Arsenal’s

New Jersey and Los Angeles.”

Above: Global licensing manager, Leigh Simpson, was among the Arsenal team celebrating The Licensing Awards win.

Manchester United streets ahead with US sports fans

Manchester United is the most popular football club among US sports fans, according to data presented by CasinosEnLigne.com.

The club has built up a strong fan base in the US. According to a Statista Consumer survey, when soccer fans in the United States were asked which team from Europe's Big Five leagues is their favourite, 18% named the 13-time Premier League champions. Manchester City and Chelsea both had an 8% share, while Liverpool and Arsenal were picked by 7% of US football fans.

The Statista survey also revealed that Premier League clubs are more popular in the US than Spanish football giants. The 2022/23 La Liga champions, Barcelona, is favoured by 7% of football fans in the country, while another 5% named Real Madrid their top European club.

According to Ampere Analysis data, US TV companies will spend roughly $1.3bn on football rights in 2023, or three times more than in 2015. The survey also showed that the United States is now the sixth-largest football broadcasting market with an 8.1% share, following the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy and France. Based on current trends, Ampere also expects the US spending on football rights to surpass one of the major European countries by the end of the decade.

Forest Green Rovers tunes up with Grateful Dead

The world’s greenest football club, Forest Green Rovers has revealed a new partnership with rock band the Grateful Dead The partnership will see the entire men’s first team at FGR kitted out with co-branded travel wear for the 2023/24 season. From hoodies to t-shirts, each piece of the FCR x Grateful Dead clothing features a Green Skull, representing the iconic Grateful Dead emblem.

Sharing a strong passion for protecting the environment, the partnership brings together one of the world’s most sustainably focused bands with the world’s greenest football club.

The partnership was developed by the retail and licensing team at WMX (Warner Music Experience), and the travel wear is being produced by I Dress Myself, a carbon-negative, vegan clothing business specialising in sustainable printing.

“This is an exciting partnership –because we both share a common goal to make the planet a cleaner, greener place and take fans around the world with us on this journey,” commented FGR chairman, Dale Vince. “Fans of both FGR and the Grateful Dead can show their support – because this travel wear rocks.”

London Spirit and TfL celebrate The Hundred

Transport for London and London Spirit teamed for an exclusive partnership in the summer ahead of the third season of The Hundred, launching TfL-inspired London Spirit apparel.

The limited collection was available to purchase online and at Lord’s Cricket Ground for all London Spirit home games during the competition.

The designs featured the London Underground’s globally recognised iconography, with the TfL Roundel and station designs inspiring the unique shirt patterns.

“We’re delighted to be hitting the boundary once again with this exciting collaboration with London Spirit,” commented Ellen Sankey, brand licensing manager at Transport for London. “The Tube network has helped people travel to amazing cricket matches at the Oval and Lords for more than 100 years and collaborations like this show just how our designs can be used to bring our history together for customers across the world.”

Liverpool FC expands Dubai retail presence

Liverpool FC has renewed its official retail partnership in Dubai with Seventy8 Sports and plans to strengthen its commercial presence in the Middle East and Africa.

Seventy8 Sports - a retailer and distribution company - is now in its third term with LFC as a retail partner and has signed up to a new joint venture in the region with EIGHTClouds private equity firm.

Together they will explore new territories to expand the LFC international retail business with LFC official merchandise in the Middle East and Africa.

The partnership's growth will include retail concepts in-market for in-store and online. The new stores will mirror the remodelling of the new L1 store in Liverpool, as LFC rolls out the retail experience to match the UK.

"We have an incredible fan base all over the world and we're always trying to bring our retail concepts globally,” commented Mike Cox, svp merchandising at Liverpool FC. “Working with partners in-market is a great way to do this and bring our retail concepts to them locally."

Craig McKelvie, ceo at Seventy8 Sports, added: “These new deals are a testament to the teamwork of all those involved and the incredible passion and support of Liverpool fans across the GCC region.”

Above: Travel wear that rocks from Forest Green Rovers and Grateful Dead’.

Above: The TfL roundel and station designs inspired the unique shirt patterns.

Above: LFC is looking to roll out a retail experience to match the UK..

Extreme H set for 2025 launch

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Extreme E have unveiled Extreme H, the first hydrogen-powered off-road racing championship.

The new motor racing competition will host its first season in 2025, following the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between the FIA and series organisers.

Extreme H will become a full world championship from 2026, joining Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship, the World Rally Championship, the World Rallycross championship, World Rally Raid Championship, Formula E and the Karting World Championship as officially recognised FIA world championship series.

Ahead of Extreme H’s arrival, electric off-road series Extreme E will also become a FIA-recognised series from 2024.

“Establishing alongside the FIA a world-first hydrogen racing world championship will be a momentous milestone for Extreme E and the new Extreme H series,” commented Alejandro Agag, founder of Extreme E and Extreme H. “Sport is the most powerful and effective platform to drive innovation and our commitment to delivering sustainable motorsport championships full of excitement and with a reduced carbon footprint are testament to that.

“Once it achieves FIA world championship status, Extreme H will continue what Extreme E started as a pioneering motorsport series and we look forward to delivering another spectacular sporting product.”

Fanatics teams with sports live streaming business, DAZN

Fanatics has teamed up with global sports entertainment and live streaming business, DAZN Group

The new long-term partnership will see the businesses join forces to develop a ‘seamless fan experience’.

From Q3, Fanatics will enable the fast growing customer base of 60+ million sports fans on DAZN’s platform to purchase a substantial product range including licensed team merchandise and sports apparel, directly through the DAZN app.

The second phase of integration – to be delivered within a year – will be a store, more deeply embedded in the DAZN experience. Tailored to the individual, there will be personalised moments within the DAZN journey linked to their user profile, favourite teams and players, with a single wallet and one-click purchasing.

“Fanatics is a world leader in licensed sports merchandise and has been on a phenomenal growth trajectory,” commented Shay Segev, group ceo at DAZN. “DAZN is the perfect partner for them as they expand internationally – we are on a mission to build a single global destination platform for sports fans that removes friction and delivers everything they want in one place.”

Paramount unleashes Mutant Mayhem with Spurs

Paramount Global’s UK consumer products and theatrical divisions collaborated with Tottenham Hotspur FC in the summer, launching a new product range and integrated marketing activity to support the arrival of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

The collaboration saw a range of apparel launched in Tottenham Hotspur Football Club retail stores, as well as online globally. The range featured the Turtles dressed in a THFC-inspired kit, playing football.

Alongside this, Paramount ran a host of marketing activities including a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem-inspired stadium tour. The Turtles were also present at THFC’s home pre-season match against Shakhtar Donetsk, while there were activities and giveaways with the club’s Junior Membership programme.

Duncan Pass, merchandise and licensing director at Tottenham Hotspur, commented: “We’re always looking for new and creative ways to engage our younger fans.”

Bioworld acquires Portland Accessories

Fashion, pop culture and lifestyle licensed apparel specialist, Bioworld has further expanded its market reach with the acquisition of Portland Accessories

The acquisition of the headwear licensee – which works with a number of global sports and lifestyle brands – enhances Bioworld’s portfolio and the company’s ability to offer a broader range of headwear and other products to the sports and active lifestyle consumer.

It also extends Bioworld’s partnerships into the sporting goods brand, product and retail space, building on the company’s already healthy market share in the overall apparel and accessories industry.

“Our global capabilities will rapidly expand the product offerings and distribution reach of Portland Accessories,” commented Raj Malik, ceo at Bioworld. “Our scale will provide our brand and retail partners new levels of innovation, support and service. We are thrilled to partner with Portland and licence some of the world’s most iconic brands to scale and grow in a rapidly expanding global market.”

Above: DAZN and Fanatics will aim to deliver a ‘seamless fan experience’.

Above: The activity celebrated the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem in the summer.

Above: Portland Accessories works with a number of global sports brands.

world, The FA oversees every aspect of the game in England. And, with around 15 million people playing football across the country and over 100,000 affiliated teams, it’s on a mission to change the game, maximise its impact, and deliver football for all.

Part of this is to engage everyday England fans, enable them to show their support, and to feel a part of everything The FA’s England teams do. To deliver this, licensing is crucial. The FA strives to make products at accessible price points for all and give every fan the opportunity to get behind England. Meanwhile, the portfolio variety allows The FA to speak with fans across multiple channels – whether they are heading to the official online store or purchasing from a grocer during a major tournament. This approach gives the England brand widespread visibility during key moments in which the support of the nation is vital and The FA’s goal to inspire people to get involved in football is made clearest.

Key for The FA as it heads towards the end of 2023 and into 2024 is international licensing. While the brand enjoys a solid base of licensing partners here in the UK, there’s plenty to explore overseas, including a strong following in the US where English football is growing. With the Men’s World Cup - just over two and a half years away - taking place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, now is the time to activate more licensing deals in the region.

The FA has pinpointed The Americas as a region of great potential, not only for licensing but for The FA brand in general. Taking inspiration from other federations, The FA wants to replicate the success of licensed products which has, in turn, led to wider partnership deals in the region.

Closer to home, The FA’s brand team are now finalising the details of its official mascots. This, says The FA, represents great, new opportunities to engage with a younger audience and unleash a new area of IP to license that hasn’t existed before. And it’s the future of the sport The FA really looks to nurture. In July this year, the organisation launched a new five-year sustainability strategy with an overarching objective to achieve net zero status by 2040. Communication between the brand and The FA’s sustainability team regarding sustainability reporting across its retail and licensing programme is now ongoing. While it may be a little too early to tell what this will mean for The FA’s retail partners and licensees going forward, sustainability has become a major consideration when the team requests proposals from prospective licensees. A key outcome of this strategy for The FA will be to drill down into the information provided by licensing partners enabling the brand to set more specific prerequisites from a sustainability perspective that must be adhered to.

The arrival of Stokes and McCullum has ushered in a new style of cricket and a new era for the sport in England and Wales. England Cricket’s popularity has grown exponentially over the past year, while a whole new playing philosophy across the Men’s and Women’s game has led to some fantastic performances and results on the pitch.

Chris Beck,

ECB licensing manager shares his thoughts.

a new era Batting for

The England cricket brand - and merchandise as a part of that - has entered into a bold new era of licensing. Today, we are seeing great engagement among fans across our licensed product and some strong growth in the number of new partners we have brought on board to broaden our merchandise offering. And it’s not just bucket hats driving it forwards. The England Cricket brand focus is to really reflect what our teams are all about on the pitch, a philosophy that shifts dependent on the format –whether it’s Test cricket, ODI, or the IT20. However, as we build our product portfolio, the potential to dive into these specific formats as standalone brands is vast and exciting.

At the root of it all, however, is simply giving the fans what they want. So, to be able to deliver this time and again, we’ve incorporated the results of fan surveys and feedback from across the counties into our expanding licensing programme. And while we are still in our initial ‘build’ phase, by establishing partners in key categories such as accessories, homeware, and memorabilia, we’ve given ourselves a great platform to build from.

Alongside this, the breadth and diversity of the England Cricket brand’s audience is growing massively. You can see this across the Women’s game where players are spurring the energy of the

sport with some fantastic cricket that has propelled its popularity enormously. We now have a balanced licensing programme built to represent the Women’s game, including the recent partnership with Match Worn Shirt that, over the course of the Men’s and Women’s Ashes this summer, offered match-worn, signed shirts from the Women’s Test Match as well as the Men’s.

Key Partners for England Cricket include Castore which not only produces the England kit but runs the ECB Shop and produces all the sporting organisation’s monobrand ranges. Castore sits alongside our other licensed partners such as Big Ant, Danilo, Oddballs, The Terrace, Be the Star Posters, Masuri, and Chilly’s.

This all, of course comes with an environmental impact to consider and as sustainability begins to show up on everyone’s radar, we are taking the steps in the right direction to reduce our impact, too. Fabrics across all Castore ECB products, minus the cable knit sweater and the trims on the products, are made from recycled materials, most of our packaging is also sustainable with swing tags made from recycled materials as well as poly bags being biodegradable. Introducing initiatives like this and working to make them a mainstay in product development is important and something we truly believe in implementing.

The successes on the pitch of The Lionesses, the Red Roses and the England Women’s cricket team among others are inspiring both male and female, young and old, and, in turn, creating a major opportunity for the licensing business. Samantha Loveday takes a closer look.

Who run

the world?

Tover the summer just how the perception of women’s sport has changed.

A colleague’s 10 year old daughter becoming hugely invested in the Lionesses and declaring that she wanted her own shirt after watching the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. And that playing cricket feels like the most natural thing in the world to my friend’s 11 year old daughter. Not even a train strike could stop her going to Lord’s with her dad to watch a Test Match.

For these two girls, their generation is likely to be the first for which women playing football, cricket, rugby or any other sport –professionally or otherwise – is just seen as normal.

And this in turn is beginning to have a major impact on the licensing business.

“As women’s sport continues to rise in its popularity, we believe more promotional and merchandising opportunities will arise in the licensing industry – more partnerships, more campaigns and more products, in turn resulting in higher retail sales,” says Dan Grant, licensing director at Danilo.

entry at number three in Danilo’s 2022 sports calendar chart, while its personalised greeting cards are also proving popular. In addition to England, Dan says that Danilo has seen increasing sales levels for its Women’s Super League team calendars – so much so that it has expanded the range to include Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur teams for 2024.

Chris Beck, licensing manager at England and Wales Cricket Board, says that there has been “much top

Inset: The Lionesses’ collaboration with M&S on womenswear was a big hit. Below: The ECB is working with Castore to push forward development in women’s specific playing kit.

Above: Danilo is expanding its Women’s Super League team calendars.

quality” cricket across the women’s game this summer – including England Women performing brilliantly in The Ashes against a fantastic Australia team and Southern Brave Women winning The Hundred with a great game against Northern Superchargers.

“We’ve seen record attendances across the summer with sell-outs for a whole series –something that we’ve never had before for the Women’s game,” says Chris. “As a rule, we always aim for balanced representation across our licensing portfolio, but we are looking to launch women’s specific products and ranges.”

This will include an England Women’s calendar with Danilo, plus a dedicated capsule range slated to arrive next year.

“We are working hard with our kit partner, Castore, to push forward development in women’s specific playing kit and seeing how we can support women and girls across the cricketing pyramid in England,” Chris adds.

“From our perspective we will continue to drive engagement with the women’s game and licensing forms an important part of that.”

Team GB, meanwhile, is busy gearing up for Paris 2024 and has recently launched a YouTube content series called Sporty AF (Sporty and Female).

Paul Ellis, head of licensing and retail, continues: “We are launching a special, female-focused capsule collection on our Team GB shop to support the series which is really exciting and something we haven’t done before. We have also worked with Oddballs to create women’s boxers and briefs using our new brand creative.

areas and opportunities.”

Two of the biggest landmarks in women’s cycling and cycling’s growth overall have also taken place over the last two years. “The Amaury Sports Organisation launched the Official Tour de France Femme avec Zwift in 2022 and has seen great uplift in audience viewing numbers and spectators in 2023,” says SGLP’s Simon Gresswell, who works with the Tour de France.

“The month after, the UCI World Cycling Championships, the first of its kind combining all cycling disciplines into one major global event, took place in Glasgow. The delivery of multiple disciplines is sure to help with crossover of fans and enthusiasm for merchandise going forward.”

To use Gabby Logan’s epic sign-off after the Euro 2022 final, when it comes to the impact of women’s sport on licensing, you think it’s all over? It’s only just begun.

Below: Team GB’s Sporty AF series recently launched on YouTube.

Above: The Amaury Sports Organisation launched the Official Tour de France Femme avec Zwift in 2022.

Formula E fully powered

Now, as Formula E enters its tenth season –and with rights now being managed inhouse by the powerhouse ensemble: Charlotte Hughes, senior licensing manager; Anna Pearson, retail manager; and Tom Savrimoothoo, licensing coordinator – the team has been busy establishing and building a strategic licensing and retail programme to satisfy the sport’s rapidly growing fanbase.

To bring this together, Formula E has taken a structured approach with a focus on core categories and verticals, including apparel, collectables, accessories, toys and games, and experiential. In fact, the team is pleased to have built up the licensing partnerships with some of the giants of the industry, including Mattel, LEGO, and New Era headwear. Alongside these it has extended its reach in the replica model space and moved into e-mobility through a deal with Zinc. Meanwhile, its partnership with Stichd – part of the PUMA group – continues to flourish as Formula E builds its trackside retail and ecommerce sales channels globally.

Seeing value not only in Formula E’s positioning as the first net carbon zero sport but its rapidly increasing audience profile, reaching a varying demographic across more than 190 countries, licensees actively choose to align firmly with the IP.

With 11 teams in the Championship, including NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, Jaguar TCS Racing, Maserati MSG Racing, and Nissan Formula E Team, and the ability to work on product opportunities collectively, Formula E can build a rounded programme that really amplifies the Championship.

E-mobility, sustainability, and motorsport are all key consumer trends and, as part of the Formula E onboarding process, the team aims to work collaboratively to ensure sustainable practices and materials are used throughout their production.

Formula E aligns with licensees that have this at the forefront of their brand, for example, an eyewear line created with Kimoa, made from recycled PET, through to its New Era headwear range which uses certifiably sustainable Repreve fabric made from recycled water bottles.

On top of this, Formula E is part of Products of Change and works with other rights holders across the consumer products industry to push sustainability in the licensing and retail space forwards and into the future.

The 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship was a ground-breaking year for Formula E with the addition of new race locations across the globe, drivers competing in the state-of-the-art GEN3 all-electric race car, and the season coming to a dramatic climax as Jake Dennis of Avalanche Andretti triumphed at the Hankook London E-Prix.

It’s likely a neurosis we’ll be asked to unpack in later life, but there’s something delectable about the unpredictability of sports licensing. Not many would have foreseen, for example, the explosion in popularity of Formula One merchandise in the US market, or the avalanche of shirt sales in South Korea when both Paris SaintGermain and Bayern Munich signed two of its star players in the same season.

Yet somehow Fanatics, a business which has – over the last ten years – become an undisputed global leader in licensed sports merchandise across ecommerce, in-person and event retail, found itself at the centre of both. Sceptics would put it down to luck. Fantasists might put it down to a fortune-telling octopus. Matthew Primack, svp of

international business affairs at Fanatics, however, simply puts it down to what the global business does best – listen to fans.

“We are in the most unpredictable, exciting industry in the world,” he tells us. “Working in step with our partners across the globe, we are dialled-in to changing fan tastes and can shift accordingly to meet this demand.

“We constantly monitor where fans are going and how tastes evolve over time, and position both ourselves and our partners to meet this demand, ensuring we can reach sports fans wherever they are.”

Since partnering with Formula One in 2018, for instance, Fanatics has seen a boom of more than 1,000% in global F1 merchandise sales. Meanwhile, during the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) earlier this year, the team launched a commemorative ‘Pepper Mill’ t-shirt in homage to Team Japan’s now viral celebration. That line has gone on to become the fastest-selling single product in the history of Fanatics Japan.

“Sport inherently brings with it an element of surprise, as new stars can be born in a moment and team fortunes – and, with this, often their off-pitch success – can

Inset: Fanatics has teamed with Major League Baseball on a new ‘memorabilia patch’ created for trading cards from MLB rookies.

Inset and below: Fanatics works with some of the biggest names in world sport including NBA, NFL and The FA.

change in a heartbeat,” says Matthew.

“From a licensing standpoint, a magic moment may appear out of nowhere, that offers opportunities to reach and appeal to fans in certain markets that would have been difficult to predict beforehand.”

Fanatics’ presence in the market is truly global. With more than 80 offices and facilities in 15 different countries and more than 900 sports properties within the portfolio, the business has moved way beyond commerce. Today, Fanatics boasts a global digital sports platform encompassing “all aspects of the fan experience” including collectables, betting and gaming, live commerce, and the “creation of a ‘one-stopshop’ for all sports fans.”

To operate such an expansive operation requires a precise level of cohesion. For Fanatics, this manifests in its ‘fan-first’ approach to everything it does.

“It’s integral to our ethos,” says Matthew. “As well as innovating wherever we can and modernising the previously staid licensed sports merchandising industry with cutting edge technology, our innovative vertical business model, global capability, and our extensive roster of partners around the world.

“The old model for the licensed sports merchandise industry was to try and predict months in advance which teams and players would sell well each season, and then place those buys 9 to 12 months out. But, with sport being the most unpredictable business in the world, when teams or players over or under-performed, fans and partners were either quickly out of stock or inundated with merchandise.”

Fanatics’ vertical model allows the team to dial production for many of its partners up and down in step with changing demands. By maintaining control over those production levels, Fanatics can also take strides in setting new parameters for the sports licensing industry’s approach to responsible consumption.

“Fanatics has an environmental strategy with an immediate focus on our climate impact and operational waste,” says Matthew. “This includes annually assessing our supply chain facilities for environmental compliance, sourcing transparency and track improvements over time, and reducing the impact of product delivery by optimising transport of products from distribution centres to our fans.”

Fanatics is also a member of the Textile Exchange – a global nonprofit driving positive impact on climate change – as part of its strategy to adopt preferred fibres across its apparel lines.

Fanatics’ position of influence shouldn’t be underestimated, this is a brand carving new routes towards fan engagement daily, while elevating the fan experience across multiple touchpoints is fast becoming a bedrock of the business. Partnering with Major League Baseball, for example, Fanatics has just debuted a new ‘memorabilia patch’ created for trading cards from MLB rookies. These patches, which feature on rookie players’ jersey sleeves, are taken and placed on a card, “fundamentally changing the experience for current and future collectors, leagues and players.”

Matthew says: “By bringing together different aspects of the sports fan experience in this way, we hope to create major opportunities for fans, our partners, and for sports licensing more widely, over the years to come.”

Inset: The company has over 80 offices and facilities in 15 different countries.

Below: Fanatics has a ‘fan first’ approach to everything it does.

Spur on

Tspecialists YETI, a deal which not only delivers a Spurs-branded collection of drinkware but also plays a key role in the Club’s sustainability journey.

Via this licensing partnership, YETI has developed a drinkware and accessories collection for fans to purchase as well as supplying drinkware, coolers and accessories to the Men’s and Women’s First Teams and Academy.

YETI licensed products can now be seen at matches, within dugouts, and in manager press conferences, while the Club’s players utilise YETI reusable products daily at training –a first for Spurs-licensed products and important as part of Tottenham Hotspur’s sustainability journey. It’s yet another string to the bow for Tottenham Hotspur who has once again been recognised as the Premier League’s greenest club for a fourth year running, having topped the Sport Positive EPL league table, published by the BBC. Earlier this year the Club delivered its first upcycling workshop for local school children, in partnership with Nike, for Earth Day 2023.

Tottenham Hotspur has recently signed a record-breaking renewal with New York-based cap manufacturer, New Era, which continues to roll-out seasonal headwear to fans throughout the year.

First signed in 2018, the licensing partnership highlights the international demand for the Tottenham Hotspur brand as it continues to see

Tottenham Hotspur licensing had an incredible 2022/23, which kicked off with winning Best Licensed Sports Property at the 2022 Licensing Awards. This award recognised exciting and innovative growth in the licensing programme which has continued to expand this year, collaborating with over 75 different licensees, across 64 territories.

strong sales across online and in-store retail channels, as well as through Spurs’ and New Era’s own platforms.

Over the last year, Tottenham Hotspur has continued to work with international agencies within key territories to provide fans with a localised approach to purchasing Spurs products. Working with agencies in USA, South Korea, China, and Australia, a recent highlight for the Club has been being part of five licensed product pop-up stores in conjunction with licensee, SJ Trend, in key locations throughout South Korea. This summer, Spurs delivered a programme of heroic activites through a unique collaboration with Paramount Pictures to celebrate the release of the blockbuster film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The Club hosted special edition Stadium tours, challenging fans to search for missing characters before heading to the stadium café for a slice of the Turtles’ favourite pizza.

A bespoke retail range was made available in the Tottenham Experience retail store and online globally, in which Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael laced-up and donned their Spursinspired kit – tapping into both parties’ worldwide fanbase.

Leading experts in design and manufacturing of licensed sports clothing and nightwear.

Baby and toddler sportswear, Sports nightwear for the whole family.

•

Our experienced designers work closely with leading sports clubs and brands across Football, Rugby, Cricket and Motorsports.

Highest industry standards for quality, design and innovation.

Theofpower sports fandom

When I was a lad in the mid to late Eighties, I played a lot of basketball. And it was about that time a 6’6” guard was beginning to make a name for himself, seemingly from nowhere, at the University of North Carolina. Six months later I was paying £75 (£290 in today’s money apparently) for my Nike Air Jordan 1s. And I was very happy to do so. Actually, I was ecstatic to have them - not sure if my mum was quite so chuffed, but they did make me play better, honest. And pretty soon I had the socks, the shorts, the bag, the sweatband and several posters.

When the shoes went on sale in 1985 Nike expected to sell 100,000 pairs in its first year. Instead, it shipped 1.5m pairs in the first six weeks and the rest as they say on Netflix is ‘AIRstory’. Sorry.

What a licence this has turned out to be. Nearly 40 years on, in 2022, the Air Jordan brand earned Nike revenue of $5.122 billion. That’s Nike, that’s not even the retail number. Our entire industry exists because fans want a piece of that thing they love. And sports really does deliver the most ardent fans. A few months ago we undertook our Global Family Study. We went to 10 countries and took in the views of 22,147 people. The study specifically explored the many aspects of modern family life including fandom. 65% of children aged 4-14 globally have a fandom - and this means that they are ready to share with the world exactly what they

think about their chosen fandom… and importantly, part with their hard earned cash. 60% of revenue is generated by the most engaged fans.

And how do they express their fandom? The number one way (39% of our sample) is to share them with family and friends. Next is buying or receiving products (31%) followed by trying to experience as many touchpoints (30%) and finally, is wanting to know every detail (29%).

The tribal nature of sports, the gladiatorial, visceral spectacle of it is inspiring. Sports create enduring fans and those fans are the most important consumers that we can engage with.

The Global Family told us that they stick with their sports fandom through thick and thin; they get meaningful fulfilment that delivers those long lasting connections many brands can only dream about. There is an inherently charged emotional exchange in the world of sports that is licensing rocket fuel.

Sports fandom is an ongoing experience and experiences make memories and ways worth investing in.

I still have those Air Jordan 1s. From time to time I put them on and each time I do, that wave of fandom hits me and I am very grateful my mum bought me them all those years ago.

Gary Pope,

co-founder

and

ceo at Kids

Industries, on how the world of sports creates an inherently charged emotional exchange which is licensing rocket fuel.

Cultures United Cotton Division –

Asking Mark Lindsay, commercial director of Cotton Division, for a bit of background on the Paris head-quartered licensed apparel and accessories business is possibly the wrong tack. With a response somewhat light on the details you get a sense, relatively quickly, that Mark isn’t one to dwell on formalities.

“Sorry, I’ve got someone asking for forecasts,” he

says, glancing up from his phone. We laugh at the idea of anyone requesting forecasts any time after 1pm on a hot summer Friday. Particularly anyone in the licensing business.

Seizing the opportunity to change the subject I instead ask Mark what he thinks flipped the switch for sports licensing. When did it realise its potential to be the juggernaut of the sector it is now fast on-track to become? Suddenly, we’re talking on Mark’s level.

“That switch has totally been flipped,” he echoes. “We’re seeing a massive growth for sports licensing among retailers buying into the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, and what’s driving it is this borderless internationalism you see in the

and the fans today.”

It’s profound and it’s bang on the money. My personal enjoyment of football, for instance, ended the day Jürgen Klinsmann left Tottenham to return to Germany in the late ‘90s. Breaking the trust of a wide-eyed youth looking for a hero to worship, and I then, without satellite television through which to follow his international

players

LSB catches up with Cotton Division’s Mark Lindsay to talk about sport licensing’s transcendence of borders in a new age of the international sports superstar.

Inset: Throwing the first punch... was the Rocky series the first to start blurring the lines between sport and popular culture?

career, found my short-lived affinity with football meet an abrupt stop. Of course, today, we’re a million miles away from that level of disconnect.

When it comes to players like Ronaldo and Messi, borders no longer exist. Through media and social media, TikTok or Instagram, young fans are following players for their celebrity both on and off the pitch, regardless of the shirt they’re wearing. And this is having a massive impact on licensing.

“The Middle East market is being driven by Ronaldo moving to Saudi Arabia and we’re seeing Messi put the spotlight on Major League Soccer [the US football league] and it’s because this generation of fans will follow players wherever they go,” says Mark. “We used to follow teams. Now, it doesn’t matter whose shirt Messi wears –half the fans wouldn’t have heard of them anyway.”

So, sport has - not so much taken on - but embraced its fluidity. Likewise, so has sports licensing. “Social media has changed the way people perceive teams. Sports merch is moving into lifestyle branding. You see people in Europe and the UK wearing the NBA badge because it’s cool. PSG is a cool brand, NFL is a cool brand – neither the retailer nor the customer even need to know or follow the team,” says Mark. “And do you know what? That’s opening the doors up to be more creative with design, too.”

Cotton Division has seen it transpire in the licences it currently holds with the likes of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024, the Rugby World Cup 2023, and the numerous other sports brands it works with.

“Fashion is leading where sports brands are going,” says Mark. “Look at Cotton Division, we’re in Paris, arguably the epicentre of haute couture, immersed in that culture of fashion. And we can use that as inspiration of what to bring to market next.”

Working closely with the International Olympics Committee to bring the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to life through fashion and accessories, Cotton Division has been given licence to put its own twist on the Games’ logo. The results of this will be made available through its online store, as well as the official merchandise stores across Paris

where, according to Mark, the excitement is palpable.

“This will be the first Olympics in Europe in 12 years, since London 2012, so the excitement is really building now,” he says. “We’re in a brilliant position – our European printing hub has set us up for big business in Europe and we can be very quick to market, whether that’s for the Olympics, the Rugby World Cup 2023 (now underway) or for the millions of sports fans across the continent.”

As for where Cotton Division is headed in the near future, you can bet the internationalism of sports will continue to play a key part in the plans for success.

“American sports are going to be a focus for us, bringing teams and brands to European fans,” Mark hints.

“There are some emerging sports that are really picking up big audiences, and we’ve just signed deals to explore and deliver some exciting new products for them.

“The lifestyle element will also persist. We’re going to see more collabs growing and feeding new audiences, manga and fashion brands, for instance. I think we’ll see more sports brands collaborate with manga IP alongside well known fashion brands, or exploring the new barometers being set by new generations of not just sports fans, but fans in general.”

The irony isn’t lost on either of us that, despite it being a late summer Friday afternoon in the licensing industry, Mark has inadvertently ticked off his forecasting duties after all.

Above: Cotton Division is headquartered in Paris.

Inset: “Fashion is leading where sports brands are going” says Mark Lindsay, commercial director, Cotton Division.

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Lord’s – the home of cricket – is expanding its audience appeal with a new venture into licensing, tapping into family friendly markets such as toys, games, and lifestyle and capturing its essence of the classic British Summertime and the hugely popular London Tourism industry for year-round appeal.

home of cricket the spiritual Lord’s,

Shas been a ground dedicated to the game, preserving traditions, and exemplifying sportsmanship on a global stage has earned Lord’s its reputation as the most celebrated and admired venue in cricket the world over. And it’s this historic, cherished and globally recognised brand that will be brought to the consumer products sector.

It’s estimated the global audience for cricket is more than 2.5 billion, all of whom look to Lord’s as the spiritual home of the sport. And, with over four million social media followers, more than 500,000 match day visitors each year, and a further one million visitors to the museum and Ground for tours and a glimpse at the world-famous Ashes urn, Lord’s boasts an audience like no other.

Set in leafy St. John’s Wood, a neighbourhood of Central London, Lord’s enables visitors to delve deep into the fascinating architecture, art, and memorabilia associated with cricket on a guided Lord’s Tour. Here, visitors can explore the famous Long Room and the elegant Grade II*-listed Pavilion or soak up the atmosphere in the home dressing room and take a close-up view of the world-beating cricket pitch. You can even get up close to the ‘hallowed turf’ and see the Lord’s Honours Boards, featuring the names of England’s cricketing legends.

Branching into the world of licensing, Lord’s is on a mission to build a brand that harnesses the spirit of all it encapsulates – an emblem of global cricket, a museum of the sport’s history, and a beacon for the future of the sport – to give it long-lasting appeal while making it truly accessible for fans around the world today and for the many generations to come.

A trip to Lord’s is so much more than a game of cricket. And this is exactly the message we are looking to perpetuate in the experience we create for fans through our licensing partnerships. Those who may not get the opportunity to visit the ground in person – or those who want to relive their fondest memories time and again – Lord’s licensing will deliver magical sporting moments to everyone, everywhere.

Toys, games, lifestyle licensing, apparel, and accessories all with a focus on British Summertime and London Tourism will be first out the gate, but the reach of the brand will not stop there. We will continue to innovate and build on what Lord’s has become known for andwith strong links into the food and beverage sector already established through our ties with the famous Tavern Pub and the three-time's winner of BBC’s Great British Menu, Tommy Banks – it’s a market we’re keeping a close eye on.

need what it takes to become a collector.

Chasing status

Between the year 2020 and 2022, a ‘rookie’ Paul Gascoigne 1987 Panini Football trading card sold for around £500. If you think that’s pricey, in the same period a Diego Maradona ‘rookie’ went for $550,000. In August last year, the media was swept up with the auction of a 1952 New York Yankees Mickey Mantle baseball card - considered the Mona Lisa of the trading card circuit – when it sold for $12.6m. Looking at that timeframe, the common denominator was Covid. The world was at the height of its pandemic lockdown and the hobby and collector’s market was booming as a result. A culture of ‘big ticket’ auctions on rare ‘rookie’ trading cards, well established in the US for many

years, had migrated to the UK and was fuelling a ‘chase’ for Panini and Topps football trading cards and stickers considered limited edition.

“It was a peak for ridiculous spending,” recalls Greg Lansdowne, a subject expert and author of the 2015 exploration of the trading card and stickers scene, Stuck on You. “There was a huge influx of interest from American collectors chasing for ‘rookie’ soccer trading cards that took the market to major new heights.

“They’d finished their NFL, NBA or MLB collections and were looking for something else. Soccer (football) cards were selling for peanuts comparatively, so these – and they are investors as much as collectors – came in and drove that market upwards.”

It’s calmed down now, Greg assures us. Partially due to the world reopening, but largely through a knowledge deficit of the UK market.

“Most people in the UK had no idea of the concept of ‘rookies’ cards (either the first card of a player or a card of a player the first season they had them manufactured) until 2020, and a lot of people were sitting on stacks of them without realising they were worth something,” explains Greg.

Inset: Stuck on You author and subject expert, Greg Lansdowne.

Inset: Stuck on You has become a must read among Panini and Topps employees, viewed as the trading card and stickers bible.

“However, although the US had the money, they didn’t have the knowledge of the market and didn’t realise how many of these football stickers and cards existed. In the US, they print ‘one of one’; or ‘one of five’ for the collectors and investors. Which doesn’t happen here.”

So, the trading card inflation bubble burst. But that short-lived period of hyper-collection left behind a legacy that echoes across the UK and Europe today. Now, Greg makes a good living from Card Shows where he can sell copies of his book (a book, by the way, given to all new employees at Panini and Topps to learn the 60-year history of the market). Since the pandemic, interest in the trading card hobby has grown exponentially, and where there used to be just a smattering, there are now upwards of 15 major Card Shows across the UK. Its other legacy is in the rise of the Formula One trading card.

“The stars aligned for Formula One,” says Greg. “They caught this wave of interest in searching for ‘rookie’ cards and launched at a time when every card they had was a ‘rookie’, it was a sport that broke the scene at the right place and right time.”

Other sports have had a crack at the market. Both Topps and Panini have made attempts to bring cricket and rugby to the collectable sector. But the engagement never met that of football. Subsequently, the supermarkets lost interest in plugging them.

Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL collections continue to see double digit year-on-year growth, with some retailers reporting upwards of 100% growth in RSV YOY. Success here, says Katie Gritt, head of marketing for sport at Panini, is owed to

not only the “strength of the Premier League” but innovative new ways the company is driving ‘chase’ mentality among customers today.

“Our One England collection has been extremely well received as it was the first collection to combine both the men’s and women’s senior teams, alongside Young Lions and Legends, so it’s a great celebration of all that is great in the national game,” Katie explains.

“Our Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2024 collection has got off to a flying start when we launched in August. Our approach means we can reach football fans and card collectors with the core range but also with our additional skus as we add to the range throughout the season.”

Great from a marketing perspective, it’s a tactic that isn’t without its opposition. There are divisions of the trading card community that are concerned that the sheer breadth of a range leaves kids ‘struggling to complete a set.’ But ultimately, there is a unified acceptance that whatever brings new interest to the collectables industry can only be a good thing.

“I got into collecting because it was all about having those kindred collectors and being able to swap with them,” says Greg. “As long as everyone can engage in the way they want to then there’s a simple, childlike pleasure to opening packets and seeing who you’ve got. By that alone, it has a purpose and remains a wholesome industry.”

OC ALL BOO OD OKSHOPS

Top: Panini enjoys a new found audience of adult collectors keen for a nostalgia trip.

Centre: The trading card and stickers specialist is celebrating 60 years of Panini football stickers with a walk down memory lane.

Bottom: Competition was fierce in the 1990s as Panini and Merlin went head-to-head for football stickers fame.

by

Sports stars

Beginning with The Ashes, and it did not disappoint… momentum swung back and forth through every Test and through practically every session. The Ashes and Test cricket are alive and well.

However, no series win did mean no limited edition bucket hats with ‘Bazball is Life’ on, or tea towels emblazoned with Sky Sports’ paint splash Ashes graphics… maybe ideas in the locker for next time. The England Women also came close, but finished second in the multi-format series, despite valiant efforts.

Other iconic, annual events came and went over the summer. Wimbledon hit new sales records every day and launched an in-house designed The Wimbledon Collection, while The Open used fly through footage to promote a pristine retail store and both events even offered bucket hats, albeit Ralph Lauren’s Wimbledon bucket hat.

Bridging both British events were the Tour de France, swiftly followed by the Tour de France Femmes

avec Zwift, in their 110th and second years respectively. Organiser the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), operated its own event merchandising for the first time at each starting town/city, including four mobile stores (branded merchandise vans, covering the whole of the course, every stage, every day).

With the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, I do think that the rise of the Lionesses and the Red Roses in England Rugby, could offer increased opportunities for more innovative lifestyle apparel and accessories design - from kit partners, licensees and retail partners, potentially following the stadium to streetwear trends in US sports.

The [Women’s] Netball World Cup in South Africa saw the hosts kitted out very nattily by PUMA and The Hundred kits and team brands continued to evolve in its third year.

The UCI Cycling World Championships - the first of its kind simultaneous, multi-disciplinary cycling event - rolled out in Glasgow and it was great to see the Highland Coo mascot hats and bespoke tartan, 100% lambswool blankets and scarves, while the World Athletics Championships 2023 hit Budapest from the middle of August.

PUMA.

Below: The UCI Cycling World Championships offered merchandise including Highland Coo mascot hats and bespoke tartan, 100% lambswool blankets and scarves.

When you read this, the Rugby World Cup 2023 will be in full flow in France and as almost a dry run for Paris 2024, both events have focused heavily on their sustainability initiatives, credentials and legacy, so it will be interesting to see if this filters through into the merchandise programmes. It is also great to see the always bestselling 20 Unions caps expanded into a multi colours range.

Amidst the seven weeks of RWC, we can expect to see one of the most fervent bi-annual displays of fandom at The 44th Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf Club, Rome.

Early October to midNovember sees the next iteration of the ICC Cricket World Cup in India, with England facing New Zealand on the opening day. With bold purple, pink and yellow branding and graphic assets and the biggest captive audience in world sports bar none - but also inherent challenges of affordability and a fast moving retail landscape - it will be interesting to see how the tournament unfolds for merch growth in India. Then as we head into 2024, keep any eye out for merchandising masterclasses from the likes of the Australian Open in January and the Super Bowl in February - with Nickelodeon having inked a partnership with CBS Sports that will deliver an alternate broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII. The children-focused production will be the first time a simulcast of the NFL’s championship game has

ever aired in the US, and the broadcast will also be distributed in the UK, Australia and New Zealand on a delayed basis. Will we see even more innovative digital merchandise products and experiences evolve? I expect so.

Then in a class of its own, is The Masters golf in April, where you can only buy the coveted stash if you go to the event for the ultimate in bragging rights.

With TikTok partnering with the Women’s and Men’s Six Nations, I hope and expect to see evolution of merchandising and retail over the coming years. With a Rugby World Cup around the corner and Autumn Series of international matches - now fully under the jurisdiction of Six Nations Rugby Ltd - and with a World Nations competition also on the horizon, rugby in general has a wider, almost year-round potential to build on across all commercial aspects.

It's also good news to see an innovative mascot development partnership that UEFA and Fanatics have struck with Toikido and Piñata Smashlings for Euro 2024 in Germany. The as-yet unnamed mascot (which surely has to be called Wunderbar…) will no doubt have strong and innovative promotional and digital plans in place.

Not such good news for us this side of La Manche, is that the Euros finish on 14 JulyBastille Day - so Les Bleus and Monsieur Mbappe look destined to do well…. again.

Inset: Simon Gresswell with Danilo’s licensing director, Dan Grant, at the Tour de France. Below: The 20 Nations collection is ready for the Rugby World Cup 2023.

If you are interested in learning more about licensing opportunities for any of our brands then contact GTL using the details provided below.

GTL represent many of the world’s most iconic brands inquiries@gtl-int.com

Mercedes-Benz, Pagani Automobili, Jaguar, Range Rover, McLaren Racing, and Lotus Cars – Global Trademark Licensing - now celebrating its 15th year in sports and lifestyle licensing - boasts a portfolio of some of the largest, global automotive brands in the world.

On the pulse

Ynow well into two decades as a leading name in the development of licensing programmes for many of the world's biggest, boldest, and fastest auto brands.

A truly global entity, too, today GTL takes its dynamic business model across eight offices located in the UK, Europe, and the USA, while boasting strong presence in Asia with offices in Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Meanwhile, strategic partner agencies extend that reach well into South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, putting GTL firmly on the world stage.

Ranking as one of Asia's top five agencies as well as a top 15 licensing agency globally, the company's focus is on building strong brand awareness and extending brand experiences through strategic partnerships and creative brand licensing for its partners. GTL achieves this through its six core services: brand representation, manufacturer representation, market consultancy, approvals management, royalty auditing, and trademark protection.

With a dedicated team built on extensive market knowledge and proactive, innovative – and crucially – creative business development, GTL is recognised for delivering outstanding results for some of the biggest names in the auto sector. Highlights to date have included the exciting unveiling of the LEGO Defender when it appeared alongside the real-life version at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and the launch of the Mattel Hot

GTL has a track record of delivering premium opportunities with the likes of Microsoft, Sony, EA, and Ubisoft tapping well-and-truly into the expansion of the interactive industry into the highoctane world of eSports. The advancement of the metaverse and the ubiquity of NFTs are also well on the radar for GTL's team of licensing experts who don't just know the emerging landscape inside-out but can pinpoint the correct opportunities for its clients as it builds tailored strategies to manage the risks and rewards of this burgeoning sector.

Building a lifestyle brand is at the core of many of GTL's premium clients. However, maintaining relevancy and authenticity is vital if a brand is going to tell its story and maintain its DNA throughout the licensing programme. GTL has helped its clients expand their brand into new sectors including apparel, watches, luggage, footwear, bikes, and emobility – to name just a few.

With BLE now right around the corner, GTL boasts a portfolio brimming with stylish and highenergy appeal, including Lambretta, an iconic brand since the 1950s; James Hunt, a motor racing rockstar now approaching the 50th anniversary of his F1 championship approaches in 2026; and Formula E, the future of motorsport looking for new opportunities in toys and collectables.

For more information on Global Trademark Licensing, visit the team booth B268 at Brand Licensing Europe or email inquiries@gtl-int.com.

Wheels Jaguar F Type at the grand opening of the new Jaguar Design Studio.

SUSTAINABILITY IN SPORTS

Both deeply dependent on and connected to Without one, there is simply no playing field. Robert Hutchins explores the actions global sports are taking to reverse our fortunes.

Grass, roots,

What has soil health and Greta Thunberg got to do with cricket? Well, if we’re to reference the British Association of Sustainability in Sport’s Hit for Six paper, or the 2018 Climate Coalition’s Game Changer report the answer is ‘rather a lot.’

‘Of all the major pitch sports,’ we are told, ‘cricket will be the hardest hit by climate change.’

And considering the seasonal nature of the game alongside its explicit dependency on the natural systems (sunlight, temperature, rainfall, and soil) it becomes rather obvious why.

Already this spring, we saw the temperature crash through the 44ºC barrier in six Indian cities, while in the UK, Lord’s Cricket Ground is preparing for hotter summers with less rainfall during which

pitch and playing conditions will be altered drastically. Soil degradation, grass seed germination, unexpected pests or diseases affecting pitch growth – Five Live Sports reporting is going to be a very different place to what it is now.

“Extreme weather is already really affecting play,” says Lydia Carrington, sustainability manager at Edgbaston Stadium, the first UK cricket ground to have received formal accreditation of its event sustainability from the British Standards Institute.

“We’ve seen extreme heat in India and rainfall in England that led to so many called off games. These extremes are affecting professional and recreational levels of the sport, and this isn’t

Top: Moeen Ali goes green for Edgbaston’s major sustainability initiative for the IT20, watched by millions around the world.

Above centre: Edgbaston is the first UK cricket ground to receive official accreditation for event sustainability from the British Standards Institute.

Left: Fan engagement is integral at Edgbaston to keep the public onside with sustainability.

happening in 30 years’ time this is happening now.”

In the ten months Lydia has been in her role at Edgbaston she has implemented a strategy at the Birmingham cricket ground to tackle sustainability from all angles and in August, as the IT20 took on New Zealand, she delivered the ground’s first Go Green campaign bringing the message of sustainable sport to 25,000 fans on the day and millions more in viewers across the globe.

This is the latent potential of sports – to positively influence the behaviour around the world. Cricket, as a global sport, boasts a fanbase estimated at over 2.5 billion. Football is twice that amount. Which is why you’ll find Premier League teams Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool FC, and Manchester City routinely jostling each year for the top spot in the Green League, or why the Football Association early this summer launched its Playing for the Future sustainability strategy to 2028 – to speak to and influence fans while reducing the impact of its global network of activity.

Notably, the FA’s strategy takes aim at all aspects of the British game, from the scope 1, 2 and 3 Greenhouse Gas emissions at Wembley Stadium, to biodiversity levels at your Sunday League turf. Within its framework, too, are plans to tackle the responsible production and consumption of consumer goods – merchandise.

“Evidence of sustainable development is everywhere in sport now, and just like all other business and industry, the topic has become an essential part of any sports brand, event, league, or series’ plans,” says Simon Gresswell, founder of SGLP and Products of Change’s Ambassador for Sports. “From the Net Zero game between Spurs and Chelsea to the commitments made to deliver the ‘greenest Olympics Games ever’ by Paris and the IOC, sport is on track to host more sustainable events and,

critically, educate its fans and stakeholders.”

Currently valued at $34.87bn, the global licensed sports merchandise market is forecast to hit $49bn by 2030 - the same point at which many sports brands around the world have committed to hit major sustainability milestones, including a vast number of Net Zero ambitions. To attain both – and to bypass one’s detriment to the other - the industry is going to need to implement some rather drastic systemic changes in the way merchandise is not only produced but tracked over its lifecycle.

During a showcase arranged through Products of Change earlier this year, Manchester City FC and its kit and brand partner, PUMA introduced collaborative efforts to reduce impact through RE:Collection, an initiative to move production of tshirts from a linear ‘take, make, wear, waste’ narrative to something more circular by incorporating recycled materials in an array of footwear, apparel and accessories.

At Edgbaston, the club shop’s merchandise and memorabilia programme is firmly on Lydia’s radar for a sustainable transition. Meanwhile, as excitement builds for the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris next year, fashion specialist Cotton Division has lain its commitment to a ‘sustainable Paris 2024’ apparel roll-out at the feet of organic cotton production via its central European printing hub.

Across the sporting spectrum, we’re seeing brands, clubs and organisations drive innovative systems thinking to reduce impact – whether it’s Formula E or Sail GP, two sports built specifically to be the pinnacle of sustainability; Forest Green Rovers, the living barometer for sustainable football; or Formula 1, a legacy motorsport that must now innovate hard to wrestle with its global impact. Despite the strides, however, there remains a long way to go.

Right: Forest Green Rovers encourages fans to reuse with these stainless steel water bottles.

Below: PUMA has been taking new strides in sustainable textiles and apparel with Re:Wear.

EVERY BALL COUNTS.

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: CHRIS.BECK@ECB.CO.UK

It’s difficult to believe The Hundred is only in its third year. Upon inception, we set out to throw cricket’s doors open to everyone and – with 580,000 ticket sales surpassed this year, 30% of whom were women and 23% children – we have certainly flung them wide. Chris Beck, ECB licensing manager shares his thoughts.

Sport of the century

energy tournament with teams that bring a new level of excitement not only to the game but to the brand and licensing strategy around it.

With eight unique team brands, each built through extensive research around their local areas and each with their own appeal, creating fantastic looking product around them is easy. And, by working exclusively with partners who believe in The Hundred as much as we do, capturing the energy of the tournament comes as second nature.

The Hundred takes cricket to a broad audience. Its family-friendly nature means children are heavily engaged and this year alone we saw 41% of ticket sales go to families immersing themselves in The Hundred tournament experience. Needless to say, it’s a skew that has heavily influenced initial licensing plans as we eye new partnerships across bedroom accessories, back-to-school, and a variety of exciting, more off-the-wall collaborations. But The Hundred has a very broad adult fanbase, too –and it’s encouraged a vast number into cricket. You can get a good idea of just how broad the appeal through some of our key partners such as New Era and Topps and the audiences they talk to. This is only going to grow as the tournament does.

Comparable to the high-energy of many American sports, The Hundred is a sporting spectacle –putting entertainment and its fans first – and that is exactly the ethos we are bringing to the licensing programme around it. TfL x London Spirit (one of

The Hundred’s London teams) is a fantastic example of this. The tournament’s regional teams bring with them a clear identity of where they are from and fans love to buy into this. We will be tapping heavily into the spirit of each of these regions to deliver collaborations that work authentically and resonate with their respective local areas and fanbases.

It is our role, as The Hundred’s brand licensing arm, to maximise the impact the tournament is making in bringing new audiences to cricket. As a monthlong tournament played out over the summer, it’s crucial we build a portfolio of partnerships that delivers a year-round appeal. We’re taking a great first step with the launch of team bobble hats from New Era in Q4 this year and are very excited to widen the offering of seasonal specific items. Securing the right brand collaborations will be fundamental to attracting and retaining new audiences and with The Hundred we have a great opportunity to create something special.

For the future, The Hundred’s mission is clear. To grow bigger and better each year. We’re building on some really important partnerships with fresh launches already in the pipeline as we continue to expand our licensee base. As a young, agile brand the possibilities around The Hundred are endless with a vast potential for licensing. We’re always on the lookout for new and exciting partners that believe in the sport as much as we do. So, if that’s you – don’t hesitate to reach out today. Let’s talk the future of cricket.

A league

of its own

Last year, Licensing International's Global Licensing Survey valued revenues from sports brand licensing at over $31 billion or 9.9% of the global licensing market. This was an uplift of 8% over 2019 (thanks to a strong rebound in 2021 following disruptions caused by Covid) and a rise of 25.6% since 2015.

In the eight years that Licensing International has been collating industry market data, the sports licensing category has gone from strength to strength. Brand Licensing Europe account managers, SC Bastia (Corsica, France) and West Ham fans Matthieu Battini and Greg McDonald explain what’s powering this trend.

The first officially recognised FIFA football match was between Scotland and England in 1872. According to the National Museum of Football in Manchester, it took another 50 years before scarves began life as football’s longest running badge of allegiance back in the 1920s. Since then, many millions have been sold. Replica shirts became available in 1959, and now buying the new kit/s has been an annual pilgrimage for many millions of fans across Europe and further afield. These days, that’s for the women’s and men’s games. Following the success of last year’s Euros, the Women’s World Cup this

summer was another huge audience draw, with big brands really getting behind it.

But that doesn’t explain why sports licensing has grown at the pace it has in recent years. So, what does? We think there are four key drivers

The need to reach fans beyond the stadium –never more so than during Covid has there been a need for clubs, tournaments and associations to reach fans beyond the stadium. Pre-pandemic (as mentioned above), this was the norm for football clubs who were well-versed at using licensed products to increase revenue and build community and fandom. But we strongly believe the Covid era significantly strengthened this need thanks to so many sports being played to empty stadiums.

Revenue recognition - we speak to a lot of football clubs for BLE, and we believe that more and more stakeholders are recognising the revenue potential of investing in a brand licensing department.

Within football, we are seeing clubs work with bigger partners/licensing agents such as AS Roma and IMG, Paris Saint Germain and Fanatics or even Real Madrid C.F. and Legends International. Outside of football, we are also seeing associations, competitions and events like Formula E, Roland Garros, Milano Cortina 2026, Paris 2024 and Rugby World Cup actively looking for new partners and expressing a desire to showcase their

Inset: The need to reach fans beyond the stadium is one of the drivers behind the growth of the sports licensing category.

Below: BLE’s Matthieu Battini (right) and Greg McDonald.

brand and its potential for partnerships at licensing events like BLE and Licensing Expo.

Growing loyalty beyond the core fans – the mainstream media has played an important role in building awareness of certain sports and expanding their reach beyond the core fans to a much wider base of appreciation.

Online streaming services like Netflix and Amazon are promoting sports, tournaments and clubs like Formula 1, Naomi Osaka, Tour de France, Manchester City, 24h Le Mans, etc., with well-produced, appealing content that’s pulling in big audiences. This has undeniably created a whole group of new fans and allowed the clubs to attract new audience demographics, too, including more women and younger generations.

We’re also seeing clubs and teams playing abroad more often to attract audiences from new territories. At Licensing Expo, we saw more European clubs exhibit and that included FC Bayern Munich, FC Porto, Real Madrid, FIFA and The Kings League for the first time this year.

Increase in brand collaboration across all categories - we’ve also seen co-branding becoming a big trend over the past few years, which is letting them position the brand at a higher premium: PSG and Air Jordan, Fred and Roland Garros, Liverpool and Converse, Walthamstow FC with its William Morris inspired replica shirts and walk out jacket, even Paramount collaborating with Tottenham Hotspur for Mutant Mayhem this summer.

We have seen more and more sports brands become interested in exhibiting and that’s why we created a Sport Zone so that potential new partners – whether manufacturers, licensing agents or other brands - know where to find them. A licensee within sport is likely to partner with multiple clubs – particularly in football - for the same products, so it makes perfect sense. While some sports brands come to BLE to find new partners, others may already have global awareness and a licensing drive underway but attend to find new ideas and projects to differentiate themselves from competitors. Look out for the green Astro Turf –that means you’re heading in the right direction.

Inset: Outside of football, events such as Tour de France are actively building their licensing programmes.

Inset: FC Barcelona is just one of the football clubs confirmed for BLE.

A dedicated sports zone will play host to a wide range of exhibitors at Brand Licensing Europe (4-6 October, ExCeL) – from football clubs and associations through to esports companies and specialist licensees. LSB takes a closer look at some of the activity.

The global licensed sports merchandise market is expected to reach US$49 billion by 2030. It’s no surprise then, that the burgeoning category will have a heavy focus at Brand Licensing Europe. A dedicated sports zone will play host to companies as wide ranging as Fanatics, FC Barcelona, FC Porto, Manchester City, Chelsea FC and AC Milan, through to FOCO, Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, Scribos, Tour de France, Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 (the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of Milano Cortina 2026) and G2 Esports among others.

Erwin Del Castillo, head of consumer products at G2 Esports, says that, having visited Brand Licensing Europe in the past, he’s always felt that it provides a “unique platform to connect with industry leaders, potential partners and licensing enthusiasts”.

Erwin comments: “It’s been a longterm goal to not only be a visitor but also to exhibit and showcase our brand’s potential and identity.

“Brand Licensing Europe offers a fantastic opportunity to promote our brand and explore new partnership avenues.

Inset: The sports zone will host a variety of companies, while there will also be a sports bar to discuss play tactics.

Inset and above: BLE is the “most important” licensing show in Europe for Dorna Sports and the MotoGP brand.

Right: Erwin Del Castillo, head of consumer products, G2 Esports.

The Right Stuff

A new exhibitor for 2023, Outerstuff manages all of the major sports league licences including NBA, NFL, NHL and key licensors such as McLaren F1, FIFA and US colleges.

It is attending BLE to showcase its sports fashion opportunities and to further strengthen its sports and brand licensed portfolio.

“Outerstuff is focused on delivering the best service for our licensors and key strategic retailers and want to showcase what we have to offer in the sports and brand fashion space,” explains Harris McQueen, sales and marketing director at Outerstuff EMEA. “We are actively looking to strengthen our sports and brand portfolio and look forward to connecting with key sports licensors to discuss future opportunities and connecting with current and new retailers.”

Harris continued: “Outerstuff will be showcasing the latest and greatest across US sports including NBA, NFL and NHL. We represent over 250 US colleges in the US and will be showcasing a select number of US colleges internationally. McLaren F1 will be our key focus in the motor sports space and Liverpool FC and FIFA will be our key football offerings this year at the show.”

“Our primary goals are to expand our licensing network and explore new opportunities for brand growth. We want to show some of the amazing collaborations we’ve done recently and capture the excitement our fans usually feel for G2. Additionally, we hope to learn from industry experts, gain insights into the latest trends, and gather market intelligence to refine our consumer products strategy.”

Dorna Sports, meanwhile, has been exhibiting at BLE for over 20 years. “It’s the most important licensing show in Europe and the perfect platform for us to connect with existing and potential new licensees,” says licensing director, Phaedra Haramis. “We’re hoping to be able to present MotoGP to potential licensees in key target product

Sports day

Inset: Outerstuff will be showcasing the “latest and greatest” from its US sports portfolio, says the company’s Harris McQueen.

categories and territories for our championship. We are looking to associate our brand with products or services that will bring our sport new consumers and potential fan base.”

Phaedra says that the company has signed several new apparel, publishing and interactive deals in the digital and gaming field which will be revealed shortly. Visitors can expect to see MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartaro’s Yamaha team motorcycle, while they pick up information on the championship and MotoGP 2023 season calendar. The sports zone is certainly going to be a mustvisit area of the show. Luckily, as with any good sporting venue or fan zone, there is also a sports bar for visitors to relax and discuss play tactics.

There will be two sports specific sessions during Brand Licensing Europe, both being held on Wednesday 4 October.

First up will be Licensing: Once in a lifetime, where Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 will introduce the next Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games hosted in Italy starting from February 2026. Licensing manager Moris F. Calasso will present unique and exclusive licensing opportunities to join the Games and be an active part of the whole project.

This will be followed by What’s the State of Play in Sports Licensing? – a look at the sports licensing landscape and what led to sports becoming the fourth largest licensing category. Moderated by License Global’s Ian Hart, panellists for the session will include Chelsea Schep, senior licensing director, IMG; Younes Layati, senior licensing director, Fanatics; and Erwin Del Castillo, head of consumer products, G2Esports.

A HEAD of the Game

the ‘ultimate destination’ for all kind of racquet sports and fitness across the MENA region.

A HEAD for Adventure

Now found in the UAE and soon to be opened in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan, HEAD continues to build a tennis and Padel communitydriven environment where players and visitors together can share their passion for sport within the Arena’s world-class facilities.

We’re talking everything from HEAD Pro Shops where guests can find a wide range of sports goods, apparel, and knowledgeable professionals to provide expert advice on tap; to the HEAD Nutrition and Café Bar where signature shakes are crafted with the best ingredients to cater to any pre- and post-workout nutritional needs.

What’s more, guests will find tennis and Padel Leagues and Tournaments, lessons in training methodology, sessions in physical and mental preparation, and nutrition and recuperation experiences, with plans for yoga classes, Pilates, physiotherapy, and even childcare services to all be introduced in the very near future.

A spin of the globe and HEAD’s influence on sports culture across China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan is also beginning to emerge, with plans for up to a total of 13 new HEAD Monobrand stores

HEAD Outdoors

From experiences to e-mobility, HEAD is making some fast tracks in the sustainable travel sector thanks to a partnership with the leading Italian e-mobility company, Platum. The range for HEAD includes the Independent – a fat-tyre foldable e-bike landing in August – and the Unbeaten – an e-scooter equipped with powerful 500W motor scheduled for the end of 2023.

Sticking with its passion for bikes, highlights for the brand’s 2024 bicycle range from Novus include updated e-bikes such as the full-suspension and hard-tail e-mountain bikes. Designed to tackle the most challenging terrains, we’re talking a collection made for off-road enthusiasts with high-capacity batteries and Shimano motors that won’t fail their riders no matter the landscape.

HEAD’s partnership with the European backpack brand Astra, meanwhile, provides children with the tools they need for their own exploration through a fully licensed back-to-school collection featuring backpacks, training bags, pouch double zippers, stationary, diaries, notebooks, and more.

Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Blackwell Brands brings HEAD’s sports heritage to the travel and lifestyle space with a collection of goods and accessories for men and women of discerning taste for where aesthetics meets functionality.

across the mainland by the end of the year. Meanwhile, a recently held HEAD brand culture exhibition in Beijing Qiaofu Parkview Green has well and truly put HEAD on the Eastern market’s map with a laid-back après ski collection for this burgeoning market to experience.

The action sport brand continues to pursue the most thrilling partnerships, including that with Germany’s die-hard paddleboarding specialist Co:Sports to deliver a range of paddleboards – from beginners to hardened water explorers – and accessories, and a fully-licensed watch collection with ELYSEE Group featuring a selection of chrono-graphs, three-hand watches, smartwatches, and wearables.

History meets innovation in HEAD’s partnership with Powerbilt as the pair bring high-performance to the golf scene, tapping into Powerbilt’s heritage as a Ryder Cup-winning club brand, Wagner & Kühner, offers the sports brand the ultimate competitive advantage in sunglasses and sports glasses. Mirrored, polarised glassed made from unbreakable polycarbonate provide optimal protection for the eyes against sun, rain, wind, dirt, and insects –making them the ultimate outdoors accessory.

Building Bridges

Organised and hosted by Chelsea FC’s licensing team and held at the iconic home of the Premier League club, SMLS showcases sports merchandise from some of the UK and Europe’s top providers, helping to connect sports licensors, licensees, retailers and ancillary businesses. With 95 exhibitors signed up for this year’s show, the team has plenty to do ahead of kick off, but Mark Bell is unfazed.

“We are confident that everything will be ready on time – after eight years, we’ve had enough practice,” he says. “We are now working on the finishing touches to make the ninth edition of SMLS the best one yet. We are very happy to announce that all the stands are sold out. We have a lot of returning exhibitors showcasing their new products, services and ideas but also some new and

exciting companies that are joining this year for the first time, including more international companies.”

Catering to everyone in the sports industry, SMLS is the one-stop shop for retailers exploring licensed ranges to stock, organisations looking to elevate their brands by securing key licences and clubs aiming to source new products for their stores. This year’s exhibitors range from the multinational to the niche, and include counterfeiting solutions provider Scribos-a KURZ, sports wholesaler Reydon Sports, merchandise manufacturer Sport Design Sweden, Be the Star Posters and Banbo Toys.

The wide spread of exhibitor specialisms showcases just how broad the sports licensing category is, says Mark.

Examples include Bohemian Brands, which produces premium

Inset: SMLS is the onestop shop for retailers exploring licensed ranges to stock.

spirits for Chelsea, Arsenal, Celtic and a range of other footfall clubs; Pet Rebellion, which makes personalised pet products; and CMC Golf, which does custom golf club covers. There is also Drew Pearson International, representing the former pro American football player.

“Something we always stress is that even though SMLS is held at Stamford Bridge, it’s not just football focused, it’s for all sports, and that’s something that’s evident in the diversity of sports organisations that attend. Sport in general is a huge part of everyday life and it has remained constant even over the last few years.”

Like many other sectors of the licensing industry, sports licensing is fastmoving, and new trends are constantly emerging. The show offers a great opportunity to keep abreast of the latest innovations, says Mark.

“We are noticing a lot more consideration for sustainable products and hope that some of our exhibitors can showcase their plans in the sustainable space. The sports merchandise business is continually changing and it’s so vast; we feel the show covers so many elements of this.”

The details

l SMLS takes place at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 17 October 2023 within the Great Hall.

l The event is free of charge to attend.

l Visitors are encouraged to register online via the Visitor Registrations tab before the event to save time on arrival. Walk-in registrations are also accepted on the day.

l Only authorised vehicles are permitted onsite for visitors. However, there is parking at Fulham Broadway Car Park (charges apply).

l Doors open at 9.30am and the event finishes at 4pm.

Hundreds of visitors are expected through the doors on 17 October, made up of licensing and retail personnel from football and other sports clubs, as well as retailers looking to stock licensed products. Visitor passes are still available and are free, and can be obtained through the website (sportsmerchandiseandlicensingshow.com). In addition to the chance to discover new products and services, visitors to the show can benefit from plenty of networking opportunities, too.

“SMLS is the perfect opportunity to catch up with existing contacts, while making many new ones,” says Mark. “Out of hours networking is an important element of any trade show, and we organise a little preshow party every year to enjoy some time with our exhibitors and their guests so we can get to know each other.”

Mark has some advice for visitors – whether it’s their first time at the show or they are returnees –on how to make the most of the experience: “We advise everyone to schedule as many meetings as possible. You can either view our exhibitor list on our website or you can search on LinkedIn; a lot of our exhibitors are active on the site.”

On a personal level, Mark is looking forward to “connecting with our exhibitors and visitors and catching up with everyone in the industry under one roof.” He and the team are already thinking about next year’s event, too: “We want the show to grow. Next year will be our tenth SMLS, so who knows – maybe it will be even bigger than this one!”

Above: Some 95 exhibitors are signed up for this year’s show. Inset: The show offers a great opportunity to keep abreast of the latest innovations.

Loyalty

to Life

Here at TCC Global, we have been bringing loyalty to life for over 30 years with tailormade solutions delivered to some of the biggest names in supermarket retail around the world. With offices in over 60 countries and more than 8,000 loyalty campaigns created and nurtured to date, our work has reached and influenced over one billion global shoppers

Since the very beginning, we have had one simple goal – to build stronger connections between brands and customers. Together with our retail partners, we have created campaigns to build brand awareness, increase sales, and drive loyalty forward. Along the way, we have also pioneered in sector sustainability and loyalty innovation –through gamification and personalisation – to truly connect with shoppers and their families.

Sport is a major part of our global portfolio and one we want to drive further to connect with sports fans around the world with authenticity and innovation being the bedrock of how we do it. Today, we count major sports brand Kappa and Panini among our portfolio of long-standing partnerships as we continue to provide new opportunities for each to gain incremental reach and revenue across Europe and beyond.

What do we do?

How do we do it?

Our campaigns introduce your sports brand to new markets and audiences, mitigate the risk of introducing new ranges to your customers, and create multiple – authentic - programme and product opportunities across multiple territories. TCC Global creates exclusive ranges hand-in-hand with you and your brand

We specialise in sourcing and product development and deliver incremental revenue for all campaign partners through various loyalty mechanisms to reach your customers. Our initiatives span ‘instant rewards’ where customers spend and receive their reward; ‘redeemable rewards’ where they spend and collect for aspirational rewards; and through community impact, encouraging customers to spend and collect rewards for their local sports clubs.

TCC Global in action: Kappa x Coop Italy

This year, TCC Global has secured an exclusive schools campaign for the global sports brand Kappa within Coop stores across Italy. Designed to encourage and inspire the next generation of sports stars, the Kappa x Coop Italy campaign acts to provide teaching and IT resources to schools across the country, as well as, of course, sports equipment for schools to nurture the talent of tomorrow.

Running until November 8, customers making a purchase of over €15 in all participating Coop stores – or purchasing any sponsored product – will be able to collect school vouchers for local schools to use against equipment and teaching resources.

TCC Global delivers brand bespoke three-month long loyalty programmes with the biggest names in supermarket retail worldwide. For the last three decades we have devised campaigns that can reach six to eight million customers each week, delivering over 80 million impressions and generating six and seven-figure royalties.

The global counterfeit goods market is a cause for some serious concern. In August 2022, the US Chamber of Commerce estimated its global cost at over $500bn a year in lost revenue – which is larger than the entire economy of Ireland.

Audacious and unscrupulous, the counterfeit market isn’t just big business for the perpetrators, but it spells big problems for the brands and companies that fall victim to it, not to mention workers caught up within it. Counterfeiting operations are far less likely to be complicit with laws on wages, child labour, and health and safety, with zero visibility on supply chains – leaving the ‘grey market’ an economic, ethical, and environmental crisis to tackle.

But it’s a deeply complex one, too, awash with social tributaries feeding into our current ocean of fake goods. There are the historically loose

regulations found within the $1 trillion e-commerce space, for a start - making it easier and quicker for counterfeits to enter the market. Then there’s the sticky subject of customer complicity to address, shoppers driven by the desire for a ‘bargain’.

“Everyone always wants the latest strip – it’s part of being a fan,” suggests Jonathan Baker, chief commercial officer at Fabacus. “They are therefore compelled to buy new every year, or twice a year. But official merchandise is often expensive so people will look for cheaper alternatives.”

The OECD reports that from 2019 to 2020, the value of counterfeits from Turkey entering the EU reached nearly €134m, positioning Turkey as the third biggest exporter of counterfeit products to the EU, after China and Hong Kong.

“The counterfeiting issue is complex and there isn’t one solution that can solve everything,” says Jonathan. “You need a multi-pronged attack to be able to limit this very sophisticated problem.”

Through its current work with Fanatics and the UFC, Fabacus is taking a firm stance on counterfeiting, rolling its services out across the respective licensing portfolios to create product registers that give brand owners – or in the case

The counterfeit market is complex with no one single solution to fighting it. Like climate change and supply chain transparency, the best defence will be in a united front. LSB takes a look at the licensing industry’s technological response to the fraudsters.

Inset: Dependable Solutions is working with Scribos, a leading provider in the brand protection space.

Below left: Jonathan Baker, chief commercial officer, Fabacus.

Below right: Rhys Fleming, sales and marketing director, Dependable Solutions.

LicensingSource.net is the go-to resource for finding out what’s happening in the global licensing industry.

Including news, interviews and analysis, as well as an event diary, a hugely successful jobs board and more, The Source is the central hub of information for the worldwide licensing community.

The team behind LicensingSource.net has over fifty years experience in the licensing industry, and also own and organise The Licensing Awards, publish The Licensing Source Book Europe and an array of other market leading trade titles.

With an e-subscriber database of over 9,500 key contacts, advertisers can expect to receive high visibility, not only on the website, but also on the trusted daily news flashes and social media boasting a strong following.

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of Fanatics, master licensees – access to all the officially licensed products that exist in their licensing community.

“Online and e-commerce is just littered with knock-off jerseys and other items,” says Lauren Stephenson, customer success director at Fabacus. “We create these product registers that act as a ‘source of truth’ so brand owners can understand what they are selling and use as a reference point to aid with product identification and anticounterfeit measures.

“At the moment, lots of brands are using tools to scrape and monitor retailers and marketplaces to request takedowns. But without having a ‘source of truth’, that’s where a lot of their anti-counterfeit action falls over.”

It’s at that point of “proof of authenticity” that Fabacus is found, working with the data right up front. But this is just one slice of a very loaded pie. There’s regulation such as the US Shop Safe Act which – recognising the importance of a legal structure for IP owners to protect their trademarks - has been influential in holding ecommerce sites liable for counterfeit goods sold online, while in Europe the Digital Services Act aims to protect the fundamental rights of consumers by creating a safer digital space for all users.

But what about customer-facing guarantees? Is there a means of checking the authenticity of product a consumer holds in their hand?

Yes. And increasingly, authentication labels are being better deployed in the fight against counterfeit goods. Yet it remains a tactic that, according to Dependable Solutions’ sales and marketing director, Rhys Fleming, “many sports brand licensing teams have yet to take full advantage of.”

“It’s our job to empower licensing professionals,” says Rhys who has just overseen a new partnership with Scribos, a provider in the brand protection space to offer a range of advanced security solutions to its client base. “With Scribos, we can bring together the data and insights held

in each of our systems, give clients the opportunity to track and control the usage of authentication labels, gain valuable insights on grey market activity, and enhance engagement with fans.”

A Kurz company, Scribos’ advanced security labels, seals and printed solutions take either digital or physical form and use “forgery-proof technology” to embed security patterns in QR codes. Users can scan these codes and access the authentication process where they are shown whether a product is genuine or not.

Back in 2015, a study from OHIM found that sales lost due to counterfeiting of sports equipment – not including sportswear – corresponded to 6.5% of all sales in the sector across the EU. Today, Scribos technology is used in many high profile sports organisations.

Meanwhile, Dependable Solutions counts the likes of Chelsea FC, the USGA, A-Leagues and Barcelona FC among its portfolio of sport brand clients for which “connecting with fans and protecting brands top the list of priorities.”

Perhaps this is where the largest portion of that ‘solutions’ pie sits? In the conversation between brands and their fanbase. The counterfeit market thrives off supply and demand. Deeper access to and greater connection with a brand or product could be one consumer demand the counterfeit market can’t supply.

Inset and below: Scribos technology is used by many high profile brands including the French Football Federation and the French National Rugby League.