The National Hockey League (NHL) and Fanatics, Jacksonville, Fla., agreed to a long-term agreement expanding their relationship.
Fanatics will now be the official manufacturer of NHL apparel and headwear beginning with the 2017-2018 season. The company also will operate on-site retail outlets at various NHL events and extend its relationship as the e-commerce operator for the league.
“Our new long-term business partnership with Fanatics is a reflection of the growth and evolution of the consumer products and e-commerce business,” says NHL Executive Vice President and Chief Branding Officer Brian Jennings. “After a rigorous process, Fanatics emerged as an optimal choice given their commitments to expanding their already best-in-class capabilities in the e-commerce space, including building a sales and distribution infrastructure in Canada, and to produce lines of replica jerseys and apparel products that will excite NHL fans and drive sales for NHL retail partners.” — M.Q.