San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) scores a goal against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) at Rogers Arena, April, 2022.
Derek Cain | USA Today Sports | Reuters
Fanatics will replace Adidas as the official uniform supplier for the National Hockey League starting with the 2024-2025 season, the league announced on Tuesday.
The 10-year deal marks a deepening of the company’s relationship with the NHL and the first time Fanatics branding will appear on official player uniforms in professional sports. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.
“This is a seminal moment in the history of Fanatics, and a testament to the hands-on, collaborative relationship with the NHL that we’ve built over the years,” said Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin in a statement.
Fanatics runs the NHL’s e-commerce site with more than 90 million customers worldwide. Since 2018, the company also has produced the league’s performance and training apparel, in addition to all headwear for players and coaches.
In addition, Fanatics has long-standing relationships with more than 80 current and former hockey stars through its memorabilia and collectibles division.
“Fanatics is a sports industry market leader and with its proven track-record in e-commerce and retail operations … our players and fans should look forward to what Fanatics will bring to the best uniforms in all of sports,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in a statement.
The league notified apparel companies in July that jersey rights were back in play after Adidas announced it would not be seeking renewal at the end of its seven-year contract.
Adidas took over the rights from Reebok beginning with the 2017-2018 season. That deal was worth an estimated $70 million annually, according to ESPN.
Fanatics said Tuesday it will manufacture the new NHL uniforms in Canada at the same factory that had been making the NHL’s on-ice uniforms for the last three decades. Over the next 18 months, the company said, it will build teams and expand resources in preparation for the rollout.
Fanatics said it will begin immediately working with all 32 clubs, equipment managers and players.
“Everything we do as a company pushes the boundaries to create more highly engaged experiences and revolutionary products for fans, athletes, and partners, and I can’t wait to see our brand on official on-ice uniforms for the first time,” said Rubin.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/21/fanatics-nhl-uniforms.html