Some thoughts from someone in the business who works with the NFL:
- Reebok's contract is up in 2012
- The acquisition by adidas has many believing Reebok will then be out
- The NFL is leaning towards slicing up the pie....giving a contract for jerseys, a contract for outerwear, a contract for headwear, and contract for performance apparel, etc
- Expect NIKE to make a huge push for anything they can get...they have become pretty insignificant in the licensed sports arena
- Expect GIII to make a big push for outerwear, and very possibly get it
- Be wary of Under Armour. They are spending a lot of money on marketing with a product many are starting to question. And the move to footwear? We'll see...
- The sleeper in this....VF. They are the largest apparel company in the world, owning a collection of brands that includes The North Face...a mark the NFL would love to have as part of the onfield family. VF is also the only NFL apparel manufacturer not named Reebok right now. VF also just acquired Majestic, so has an onfield presence with an MLB contract that was just extended to 2014. If they nail the next few years in MLB, expect more to come.
As far as the business model goes, don't expect much to change. Sure the price has gone up, but so has the quality. NFL polos, for instance, are really technical now. Not to mention performance fleece, tek pockets, etc. An the womens offering is 10 times what it was a few years ago. Bottom line is that the business is booming, so the consumer is happy, the retailer is happy, and the NFL is happy.