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12th men: Licensees line up to cheer for a Seahawks repeat

Since the Green Bay Packers have four Super Bowl titles and a national following, we went to the recent Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show in Las Vegas anticipating that the Cheese-heads would be the choice of the retailers and manufacturers who attend the annual gathering.

Instead, it was the Seattle Seahawks, who became a retail powerhouse after winning their first Super Bowl last year, who got the nod. Recalling that performance and adding the possibility of the NFL’s first repeat champion in a decade had many at the show rooting for Seattle.

“The Seahawks sold so well last year and now have a following well beyond the Northwest,” said Jack Boyle, president of merchandising for Fanatics. “If they go back-to-back, there will be additional commemorative product opportunities, so we’re hoping for the Seahawks.”

Attendees hope to see the Seahawks keep rolling. (hood cover by Team ProMark)
Photos by: TERRY LEFTON / STAFF
John DeWaal, vice president of marketing for Lids, added, “We have a high concentration of stores in the Northwest, so you know where our interests are. Still, the first repeat championship for a team that was a strong hot market last year is just a good story.”

Concurred John Killen, president and COO at WinCraft, “We won’t have to prove anything if Seattle wins, because we know a back-to-back [championship] would be very attractive to our retailers.”

Accordingly, even before the conference championships were decided, there was more Seahawks merchandise on display at the show than that of any other team.

“Seattle was a record-breaker for us in the Northwest last year, but we think that the ‘12th man’ will drive more sales if there’s a repeat,” said Jim Pisani, president of VF Licensed Sports Group, which includes the Majestic brand of licensed apparel.

> BIG APPLE SLAM DUNK: During its annual Team Retail Summit, the NBA and its licensees were bubbly about prospects for licensed merchandise around the Feb. 15 NBA All-Star Game in New York.

Given the record haul by NFL licensees at last year’s Super Bowl in New York, and early sales results from NBA.com, league officials were already predicting the largest cash-register ring for All-Star Game licensed merchandise, an area where Adidas has most of the apparel rights. “You’ve got two teams, two buildings, and the rich history of basketball in New York City supporting this All-Star Game, so it could and should be the biggest one we’ve ever seen,” said David Cho, Adidas’ director of sports marketing for basketball.

This year’s all-star activities are being split between Madison Square Garden (home of the Knicks) and Barclays Center (home of the Nets).

“We’ve not had this many [All-Star Game merchandise] sales registered this early in our existence,” said Chris Brennan, NBA senior vice president of sales development and retail marketing, adding that some league projections have three times more all-star merchandise being sold than any prior year. “We’re some weeks out now, but we’re selling [ASG] product at a rate we’ve never seen.”

Prior All-Star Games in Los Angeles (2004 and 2011) and Las Vegas (2007) are the current top sellers.

Retail programs will be held across a variety of channels, including through Modell’s, Toys R Us, Bloomingdale’s, Target, Lids and Champs. Considering the cold-weather location, the normal All-Star Game apparel collection has been expanded this year to include more fleece tops, caps and knit headwear, as well as additional T-shirts and long-sleeve shirts.

New on the “ugly wearables” scene: ponchos. (Forever Collectibles)
> UGLIER THAN EVER: Forever Collectibles’ licensed “ugly sweaters” were such a smash hit during the holiday shopping season that we expected to find endless knockoffs at the show. Instead, we found the concept further extended by … Forever Collectibles, which was displaying “ugly” scarves, slippers and even “ugly” ponchos (not the type to ward off rain) decorated with team logos. Naturally, there were more models of licensed “ugly” sweaters as well, for both men and women, including ”ugly” mock turtlenecks, cardigans and sweater dresses. Several domestic licensees said they investigated putting “ugly” patterns on their drinkware but couldn’t produce and ship it in time to meet holiday demand. Macy’s was even looking at a low-priced ($100) novelty “ugly” suit, but that idea also never got to retail.

Forever Collectibles’ success in apparel harks back to company founder Michael Lewis’ days with Adidas-licensed sports apparel brand Apex One. Since Forever Collectibles was built on licensed bobbleheads and plush, the company technically has a “novelty apparel” license, and there was talk at the show of the company spinning off a separate apparel brand.

> OUTDOOR LIFE: Columbia Sportswear is bringing its outdoor apparel expertise to big league pro sports for the first time, displaying a full line of MLB licensed apparel at the show that included outerwear — with nylon and fleece jackets and vests available, along with multipocketed button-down “performance fishing shirts.” Glenn Rice, vice president of collegiate and pro sports for the company, said the license covers men and youth across a full range of categories and merchants, including MLB venues, with spring availability expected.

We wonder how Columbia’s entry will sit with Majestic, longtime manufacturer of MLB’s dugout jackets?

“Selfie sticks,” a hit at the CES, got a lot of attention. (Mizco)
> LICENSING LINES: There was no singular hit product at the show, but the “selfie sticks” that attracted so much attention at the prior week’s Consumer Electronics Show did get a lot of play. Mizco Sports’ Sports Selfie, a version of the stick product bearing team logos, will be available with logos from MLB, NFL and NHL teams and priced at around $20. Some of the dozens of non-logoed selfie sticks at CES were priced as low as $5. “You see those everywhere, so that’s a trend we’re looking to hop on quickly,” said Dave McCarthy, vice president of consumer products marketing for the NHL. … Other intriguing introductions included Rico’s battery-powered Bottle Bright (manufacturer’s suggested retail price: $25), which turns any bottle into a lantern for evening tailgaters. … Indiana-based Wild Sports is making a left turn from its traditional mix of tailgating products with an upcoming line for babies and toddlers that will include college- and pro-logoed car booster seats, diaper bags, strollers and seat covers. Wild President Jack Queally
It’s no hot stove league, but how about a Yankees casserole dish? (Boelter Brands)
said he’s already secured distribution in Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us and Target. … Similarly, the nostalgic appeal of Winning Streak Sports’ wool banners is being extended onto metal with a line of 16-by-16 inch metal tavern signs, perfect for the man cave. … Former Foot Locker marketing executive Rubin Hanan is one of the principals behind Sports Candy Store’s new line of NBA- and collegiate-logoed popcorn and candy, which includes chocolate gummies, mints and “championship” ring pops. … While there was plenty of innovation among the many lines of licensed luggage, we’re ready to declare that category as the most overlicensed, passing cellphone accessories for that dubious distinction. … A few winners in our ongoing “never seen a logo on that before” quest: Boelter Brands’ logoed casserole dish (MSRP: $49.95), and the NFL- and collegiate-logoed Stuff-A-Helmet leaf bags from Fabrique (MSRP: $5). The bags are not intended for leaf pick-up but rather as “lawn ornaments,” like the orange bags resembling pumpkins that homeowners have been stuffing with leaves for several years. … Arkansas-based Java Jox’s line of whole bean coffee launched with Brew Pig Sooie, to honor the Razorbacks, but now has 22 collegiate-logoed bagged coffee beans, including Mizzou Brew for Missouri and 12th Man Roast for Texas A&M.

Terry Lefton can be reached at tlefton@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

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