UEFA and Fanatics Sign Long-Term Licensing, E-Commerce and Event Retail Deal
UEFA and Fanatics, a leading provider of licensed sports merchandise and global digital sports platform, today announced a long-term e-commerce, event retail and licensing deal, in one of the most comprehensive sports merchandising partnerships in European football.
This national team football deal, for both the men’s and women’s games, is an extension of the previous event retail partnership and will now see Fanatics gain e-commerce rights and the right to design and manufacture unbranded apparel.
Fanatics will exclusively operate the e-commerce business for UEFA’s national team competitions and will become the master licensee for its full merchandise portfolio with UEFA taking advantage of Fanatics’ vertical commerce model. The new partnership will see Fanatics continue to operate event retail at UEFA’s major international events, including Euro 2024, Women’s Euro 2025 and Euro 2028.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director said: “We are delighted and excited to have agreed this long-term partnership with Fanatics, who are a market-leader in their field. Our national team competitions for both the men’s and women’s game are some of the most followed sporting events across the globe and together, we are looking forward to offering fans an extensive range of merchandise so that the memories of these great tournaments remain with them for years to come.”
Matthew Primack, senior vice-president of international business development at Fanatics, said: “UEFA is one of the most respected brands in global sport and we are proud to be chosen to deliver their retail and merchandise solutions. Fanatics is poised to provide UEFA with its first fully integrated e-commerce, event retail and licensed programme, and service a truly world class integrated experience for fans, regardless of whether they choose to shop online, at an event or at a retail store.”
The long-term partnership means that Fanatics will create products or license the rights to category leaders in their respective fields to manufacture and distribute a significantly expanded, real-time selection of UEFA branded products thereby enhancing the choice and experience for fans of European National football.
Fanatics partners with more than 900 sporting organisations and clubs in the world, as well as many top world sporting organisations, including NFL, NBA, MLB, the Tour De France and Formula One.