Fanatics Will Be NHL’s new on-ice uniform partner starting in 24-25

Joe from Maine

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Jun 6, 2019
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Fanatics will use the same factory in Quebec to produce NHL uniforms for players initially. Same specs as before. Interesting to read about the MLB 10 year agreement with Nike and Fanatics. When Nike took the agreement over from Under Armour they continued to make the MLB player uniforms in the same NJ plant and changed the logo only. Similar to the NHL and Fanatics for player uniforms. MLB fans were upset at the Nike swoosh being on the chest of MLB uniforms. The interesting part as it relates to the NHL is Fanatics, under the agreement is in charge of manufacturing and distribution of the Nike MLB Authentic Collection for fans. Also from the same plant in New Jersey. Nike and MLB seem to trust Fanatics to handle the manufacturing and distribution. Apparently a lot of the apparel is manufactured in the same places by the same workers and same fabrics so there is not always a huge discrepancy in quality regardless of which company pays to have there name on the uniform. Nike, Adidas and Fanatics etc are as much about marketing and distribution in many cases. Fanatics even bought Majestic a few years ago who made MLB uniforms for players for 15 years. It is dizzying what the cross over is with these uniform companies. My conclusion, and I am no expert, is they are all about the same.
 

patnyrnyg

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Sep 16, 2004
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Fanatics will use the same factory in Quebec to produce NHL uniforms for players initially. Same specs as before. Interesting to read about the MLB 10 year agreement with Nike and Fanatics. When Nike took the agreement over from Under Armour they continued to make the MLB player uniforms in the same NJ plant and changed the logo only. Similar to the NHL and Fanatics for player uniforms. MLB fans were upset at the Nike swoosh being on the chest of MLB uniforms. The interesting part as it relates to the NHL is Fanatics, under the agreement is in charge of manufacturing and distribution of the Nike MLB Authentic Collection for fans. Also from the same plant in New Jersey. Nike and MLB seem to trust Fanatics to handle the manufacturing and distribution. Apparently a lot of the apparel is manufactured in the same places by the same workers and same fabrics so there is not always a huge discrepancy in quality regardless of which company pays to have there name on the uniform. Nike, Adidas and Fanatics etc are as much about marketing and distribution in many cases. Fanatics even bought Majestic a few years ago who made MLB uniforms for players for 15 years. It is dizzying what the cross over is with these uniform companies. My conclusion, and I am no expert, is they are all about the same.
Thinking the workers in these plants do not work for Fanatics/Nike/Under Armour, etc. Instead the factory is owned by some random company who hires the workers and contracts with the labels.
 

eddygee

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Mar 12, 2018
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I thought the NHL paid for these things. did the previous jersey makers I forget who it was Rebok or Adidas pay the NHL as well?
either way from what I understand Fanatics is a cheap low quality jersey
No these companies Nike/Adidas etc pay the leagues to be the outfitters. It's part PR and part sales driven for these companies. Here are the deal amounts

NFL is with Nike at $2.5b for ten years.
$250m annually

NBA is with Nike at $1b for eight years.
$125m annually

MLB is with Nike at $1b for ten years.
$100m annually

NHL was with Adidas at $490m for 7 years
$70m yr. Reebok was paying $35m yr before current Adidas deal. Adidas was losing money so didn't renew. Fanatics is likely less than previous deal.

MLS is with Adidas at $830m for 6 years.
$138m annually
 
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joelef

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Nov 22, 2011
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Just says that the NHL business isn't profitable enough for Reebok, Nike, etc. to get into. Personally, would have taken a bit less to remain with one of them, but if none of those companies was interested in the NHL business anymore, then the NHL didn't have many options left to them.
That what’s the. Biosteel fanatics defenders don’t understand.

Or maybe it has nothing to do with the NHL itself, and is instead just about the strategic direction of the various companies?

Reebok, for example, was owned by Adidas. Adidas stopped making Reebok-branded hockey gear a number of years ago (I have an old pair of Reebok skates that are no longer made). In 2021 Adidas sold Reebok to a private equity company. I can imagine why partnering with the NHL just doesn't align with what the owners of Reedbok are trying to do with the brand right now.

Nike... Nike used to own Bauer, but sold that company way back in 2008. Nike-branded hockey gear is even older than Reebok-branded hockey gear. Again, I can see why a partnership with the NHL doesn't make strategic sense for Nike that has nothing to do with how large or small the NHL is.


So look I'm just a hockey fan/consumer, not in the business of hockey. But seeing that, I dunno, Adidas is the official NHL jersey sponsor doesn't make me any more likely to go buy an Adidas tracksuit or running shoes - and those are the businesses Adidas is primarily in. But seeing that Fanatics is the official jersey sponsor might make it more likely that I go and buy a Fanatics-brand replica jersey - and those replica jerseys are the business Fanatics is in.
Big name mainstream brands don’t value the nhl . Bad look for a “ major league” sport
 
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Yukon Joe

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Big name mainstream brands don’t value the nhl . Bad look for a “ major league” sport
I'm sorry - this is a dumb take.

Here's a list of the world's most valuable brands:


Most valuable brand is Apple on most lists. They don't sponsor the NHL. Is it because they don't value hockey?

Or rather - they don't sponsor any sports leagues (they have MLS rights on Apple TV+ but that's a whole different thing). Sponsoring sports leagues just doesn't make sense for Apple in the businesses they are in.

Google is number two. They also don't sponsor any sports brands - not EPL, not the NFL, nothing.

Amazon... weirdly it DOES sponsor the NHL, kind of. Amazon paid for the naming rights to Seattle's arena, though for various reasons it chose to call it Climate Pledge Arena.

Microsoft... now we're getting somewhere. They DO sponsor the NFL and Real Madrid, in order to promote their Surface tablets.

Things start getting murkier as you go down the list. Coca-Cola is not an NHL partner, but their biggest competitor Pepsi is. Tencent or Facebook don't sponsor with any pro sports. I know I've seen Toyota sponsoring my favourite team the Jets. Disney doesn't partner with any pro sports leagues. I'm not sure if McDonalds is actually an NHL sponsor, but they're a huge minor hockey sponsor.



So anyways - maybe you can't just say that if a company doesn't sponsor the NHL it's because companies think the NHL is small potatoes, but rather they all make their own decisions on what makes sense for their own business in their own marketing plan.
 

Knave

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Mar 6, 2007
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NHL jerseys are more expensive just like the sport is more expensive and less accessible. We're talking $150-200 where most other major sports leagues are within the $75-$125 range.

That being said locking in a 10 year deal seems a bit extreme to me. These longterm deals usually end up with one side winning and one side losing so either the NHL or Fanatics will likely come out way ahead of this. It just smells like the NHL playing it safe which is certainly their prerogative but disappointing if you were hoping they would be more aggressive in trying to grow the league and sport.

I don't think it's a great look for the league. Maybe the thinking is Fanatics can bring down the cost and therefore the price to make them more competitive and accessible.
 
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DoyleG

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All the hate towards BioSteel is hilarious. They've long had ties to the NHL first through players then the teams buying it. Now the league gets money from them and the teams save a little bit of money from not having to buy it but because they aren't some big name it's somehow a bad deal.

Well, you don't need to have the business sense to post in this form.

Could see why Coca-Cola didn't keep its Gatorade sponsorship. Pointless to spend money when the players in the league won't use your product.

Adidas didn't think producing jerseys alone was worth the cost. In its traditional sports, it tends to give teams everything (game gear, practice gear, tracksuits, game balls, etc). Add to that all the corporate problems that they have been facing, and it's clear the company is moving towards a reset of its business.
 

IU Hawks fan

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NHL jerseys are more expensive just like the sport is more expensive and less accessible. We're talking $150-200 where most other major sports leagues are within the $75-$125 range.

That being said locking in a 10 year deal seems a bit extreme to me. These longterm deals usually end up with one side winning and one side losing so either the NHL or Fanatics will likely come out way ahead of this. It just smells like the NHL playing it safe which is certainly their prerogative but disappointing if you were hoping they would be more aggressive in trying to grow the league and sport.

I don't think it's a great look for the league. Maybe the thinking is Fanatics can bring down the cost and therefore the price to make them more competitive and accessible.
It makes sense when you look at the big picture and understand the business.

The NHL is an investor in Fanatics, all 4 of the Big 4 leagues are. The league wants to see Fanatics grow and be successful, they're the same side.
 
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Anisimovs AK

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I'm sorry - this is a dumb take.

Here's a list of the world's most valuable brands:


Most valuable brand is Apple on most lists. They don't sponsor the NHL. Is it because they don't value hockey?

Or rather - they don't sponsor any sports leagues (they have MLS rights on Apple TV+ but that's a whole different thing). Sponsoring sports leagues just doesn't make sense for Apple in the businesses they are in.

Google is number two. They also don't sponsor any sports brands - not EPL, not the NFL, nothing.

Amazon... weirdly it DOES sponsor the NHL, kind of. Amazon paid for the naming rights to Seattle's arena, though for various reasons it chose to call it Climate Pledge Arena.

Microsoft... now we're getting somewhere. They DO sponsor the NFL and Real Madrid, in order to promote their Surface tablets.

Things start getting murkier as you go down the list. Coca-Cola is not an NHL partner, but their biggest competitor Pepsi is. Tencent or Facebook don't sponsor with any pro sports. I know I've seen Toyota sponsoring my favourite team the Jets. Disney doesn't partner with any pro sports leagues. I'm not sure if McDonalds is actually an NHL sponsor, but they're a huge minor hockey sponsor.



So anyways - maybe you can't just say that if a company doesn't sponsor the NHL it's because companies think the NHL is small potatoes, but rather they all make their own decisions on what makes sense for their own business in their own marketing plan.
Couple things here, Google sponsors the McLaren F1 team, and Disney doesnt "sponsor" sports, but they own ESPN and, well you get the picture

Well, you don't need to have the business sense to post in this form.

Could see why Coca-Cola didn't keep its Gatorade sponsorship. Pointless to spend money when the players in the league won't use your product.

Adidas didn't think producing jerseys alone was worth the cost. In its traditional sports, it tends to give teams everything (game gear, practice gear, tracksuits, game balls, etc). Add to that all the corporate problems that they have been facing, and it's clear the company is moving towards a reset of its business.
Coca Cola doesnt own Gatorade, Pepsi does
 

Roadrage

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Mar 25, 2010
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No these companies Nike/Adidas etc pay the leagues to be the outfitters. It's part PR and part sales driven for these companies. Here are the deal amounts

NFL is with Nike at $2.5b for ten years.
$250m annually

NBA is with Nike at $1b for eight years.
$125m annually

MLB is with Nike at $1b for ten years.
$100m annually

NHL was with Adidas at $490m for 7 years
$70m yr. Reebok was paying $35m yr before current Adidas deal. Adidas was losing money so didn't renew. Fanatics is likely less than previous deal.

MLS is with Adidas at $830m for 6 years.
$138m annually
Damn, even MLS has a better deal annually then the NHL (Almost double annually)!
 

DoyleG

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Damn, even MLS has a better deal annually then the NHL (Almost double annually)!

Adidas provides more to MLS than they did under the NHL deal.

Game Jerseys
Shoes
Practice Gear
Athletic gear
Gear for officials
Game balls

The Nike deals and the ones UA has made in the NCAA work along the same lines.
 

IU Hawks fan

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Adidas provides more to MLS than they did under the NHL deal.

Game Jerseys
Shoes
Practice Gear
Athletic gear
Gear for officials
Game balls

The Nike deals and the ones UA has made in the NCAA work along the same lines.

Yeah, to truly make it an even comparison, you have to add up all the on-field/ice deals each league has.

NBA/NFL: Nike + Wilson (I think the NFL also gets a fee from other shoe/equipment manufacturers, remember some guy wanting to wear UA years ago but they weren't approved yet)
MLB: Nike (they own Rawlings, so no fee for the ball. I know New Balance is the official umpire shoe, but no idea what kind of money that brings in)
NHL: Adidas + CCM/Bauer/Warrior/True/etc + Inglasco (I'm sure this is minimal, but still)
MLS: Adidas
 

DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
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To add more context, the story below regarding the LA Lakers deal with BioSteel.


Financial details surrounding the agreement were not made available, but BioSteel pays a fee for integrating its brand with team intellectual property in deals like this. Industry experts estimate beverage deals with top market NBA teams can reach up to $5 million per season.
 

eddygee

Registered User
Mar 12, 2018
904
421
Adidas provides more to MLS than they did under the NHL deal.

Game Jerseys
Shoes
Practice Gear
Athletic gear
Gear for officials
Game balls

The Nike deals and the ones UA has made in the NCAA work along the same lines.
Pretty much only thing to add is they don't do shoes players have their own shoe deals and Officials aren't sponsored by Adidas.

Its interesting to me all the numbers being thrown around in this thread with no links for verification.
Google keywords and bam pretty simple find...
 

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