The sports merchandise company Fanatics has added to its long list of critical deals in 2020 with a long-term merchandising partnership with Barnes & Noble Education Inc. (BNED), the campus store division of the Barnes & Noble parent company. Fanatics will offer BNED campus stores an expanded product selection and a direct-to-consumer platform. Fanatics’ partly-owned Lids will also provide BNED trend and sales performance data on licensees, product styles and design treatments from more than 1,200 Lids stores. As well, Fanatics and Lids will jointly make a $15 million strategic equity investment in BNED and receive 2.3 million shares of BNED in exchange, representing a share price of $6.50 per share. BNED expects to use these proceeds for its strategic growth initiatives. BNED is a college retailer that was spun off from bookseller… . . . read more
Logo Brands Hits a Homer With MLB Agreement
Logo Brands, Inc. has entered into a new licensing agreement with Major League Baseball, granting the company rights to manufacture, produce and distribute MLB-branded throws, pillows and coozies to all retail channels. Logo Brands will make MLB merchandise available through Walmart, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy Sports, Bed Bath & Beyond, Fanatics and many other major retail outlets, as well as the Logo Brands online store. Logo Brands will begin shipping MLB coozies immediately and throws and pillows starting Jan. 1, 2021. “This is the last piece of a very big puzzle that took years to complete,” said Jason Potts, vice president of business development at Logo Brands. “Logo Brands is now one of only two companies with rights to manufacture throws and pillows for all professional sports leagues and all colleges.” The… . . . read more
Top Licensed Retail Sales Figures to Have On-hand in the New Year
While TLL is crunching the official stats for 2019 over the next month, here are some figures and trends we’re tracking for next year…
NCAA Tournament Scores $20–35 Million in Licensed Retail Sales
TLL estimates that retail sales of collegiate properties tied to the NCAA Tournament generate $20–35 million a year; close-up on Villanova, Loyola-Davis, and University of Kansas…
Roundup: Business & Legal
Top business news impacting branding.
Featuring: WME | IMG (now Endeavor), Coach (now Tapestry), Authentic Brands Group, G-III and more…
M&A & Promotions
Top business moves and promotional partnerships this week, with a correction.
Featuring: Scientific Games/IGT, IMG, DHX Media, Warner Bros., and more…
M&A & Other Business
The latest business and financial news to impact the licensing industry.
Featuring: Ravensburger, Universal, Winner Media, IMG College, Learfield, and more…
M&A & Partnerships
Business moves, merges, rebrandings, and new partnerships.
Featuring: CLC (now IMG College), The Company and Uncle Milton, Maurizio Distefano and Biplano, Tencent, JCPenney, NFLPA and more…
Entertainment, Sports Licensed Goods Lead Black Friday Deals
Hot holiday properties Frozen and Star Wars, and collegiate and NFL licensed merchandise, will be decking the halls of many retailers on one of the biggest shopping days…
Licensing By The Numbers
Follow the numbers driving the industry.
Featuring: VW scandal, University of Texas, Peppa Pig, Halloween retail, U.K. toy sales, and more…