New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. has signed a license agreement with New Era Cap Company, Inc. for performance headwear. Effective January, 2004, New Era will design, develop and manufacture New Balance headwear. The line will be sold as a joint effort by New Era and the New Balance sales force.

New Balance's 2004 offerings by New Era will include classic, suburban/collegiate and event-driven headwear, while a full line of new performance-caps for serious athletes, made with proprietary technology, will debut in Spring 2005.

New Era has the exclusive rights for providing and marketing the official uniform performance-caps worn on the field of play by every Major and Minor League Baseball player.

“New Era Cap's expertise in the performance headwear market, as well as their long history of integrity and product excellence, makes them an excellent licensee partner for New Balance,” says Jim Tompkins, president and COO of New Balance.


“We are proud to have established this partnership with New
Balance,” says New Era President Peter Augustine. “Our companies share a similar history and philosophy dating back to the early 1900s that is built on a strong work ethic and an innovative vision which supports the high quality product that we bring to market.”