Fanatics is entering into a long-term partnership with Nike to manufacture college sports fan apparel. Starting mid-2024, Fanatics will begin manufacturing most of Nike’s fan apparel for many of its most prominent college partners.
Fanatics will manufacture fan apparel, replica jerseys, sideline apparel, headwear, and women’s fan gear, among other items. The deal includes a select group of Nike’s college and university partners, including Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Penn State, among likely participants, sources told CNBC.
Investment in the growth of its women’s apparel business is also an aim of the partnership between the two companies.
According to sources, Nike will continue to manufacture apparel and merchandise for its college team partners, including on-field apparel.
The arrangement is similar to comprehensive deals that Fanatics and Nike have with the NFL and MLB, where Nike handles on-field products, including athlete jerseys, and Fanatics manufactures fan merchandise.
Nike currently manufactures the bulk of college products in-house.
“We are proud to expand our long-standing partnership with Nike and implement our innovative vertical commerce model across their preeminent roster of universities,” said Doug Mack, CEO of Fanatics Commerce and Vice Chairman of Fanatics Holdings. “Our team is excited to maximize the value of Nike’s college partnerships by creating faster speed-to-market of fan gear through our agile supply chain, resulting in an expanded assortment of both timeless and on-trend Nike-branded merchandise for college fans and retailers everywhere.”
Fanatics denied further comment.
The partnership involves collaboration with the Fanatics College division, which currently partners with most Nike-sponsored colleges and universities.
Nike said in a statement that it is making a strategic shift in how it serves NCAA university partners, extending its licensing relationships with Fanatics and branded custom sportswear, another collegiate partner, to include Nike NCAA retail fanwear and sideline products.
Photo courtesy CNBC/Getty
