(Philadelphia, PA, November 19, 2020) – The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the longest running and most successful professional lacrosse league in the world, today announced a landmark partnership with Fanatics, the global leader for licensed sports merchandise, which will bring the league’s online merchandise and retail efforts into one consolidated location for all NLL clubs.
The new online destination, NLLShop.com, is now live and accessible to fans worldwide.
“Our league and the sport of lacrosse are on a sharp growth curve. We have such a tremendous opportunity with our teams for growth in terms of online merchandise sales. Fanatics is simply the best and most innovative consumer e-commerce sports retailer in the world, and this partnership will give us a great opportunity to realize the league’s potential, said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “We have seen the power and value of team merchandise at the local level, and this international approach gives us the ability to have a streamlined one-stop shop to offer NLL merchandise where sports fans shop online.”
Through Fanatics’ industry leading technology and mobile capabilities, powered by its revolutionary Cloud Commerce Platform, the new NLL online store will provide rapid navigation for fans across desktop and mobile sites, featuring hi-resolution product displays, frictionless checkout and the widest assortment of NLL merchandise for all members of the family.
“We are excited to enter into this new partnership with the National Lacrosse League. Fanatics is uniquely positioned to help the league expand its reach through an enhanced direct-to-consumer platform that will allow fans to share their pride and passion for the NLL teams and players they love,” said Vicky Picca, Fanatics SVP of Business Affairs.
The partnership unifies what has been a regional approach ran by the NLL clubs for most of the league’s 35-year history. While teams will retain the right to sell locally at retail brick and mortar, the complete global e-commerce business will be housed under the new NLLShop.com for the first time.
The 2021 NLL season is targeted to start the weekend of April 9-11th, with a full schedule to be announced in the coming weeks.
Shop Now: NLLShop.com
About the National Lacrosse League
Founded in 1986, the National Lacrosse League (NLL) is the longest running and most successful professional lacrosse league, ranking third in average attendance for pro indoor sports behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is currently comprised of 14 franchises across the United States and Canada: Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Panther City Lacrosse Club (to begin play in Fort Worth, TX in 2021-22), Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, New England Black Wolves, New York Riptide, Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.
According to recent research, the NLL fan is younger (average age 46) than almost every North American professional sports league. Almost sixty percent of its fans come from a non-lacrosse fan base, while the general lacrosse fan has become more engaged than at any point in the history of the league. Most importantly, NLL fans are extremely passionate and engaged, with 58% of NLL fans identifying their favorite NLL team as their favorite sports team. Focusing on a digital first strategy, every NLL game is distributed on Turner’s B/R Live streaming service available on desktop, iOS, Android, and connected devices. The NLL Game of The Week broadcast is also available on Facebook and Twitter and averaged over 160,000 unique viewers per game last season.
For more information, visit NLL.com and find the @NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
For the most up to date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.
About Fanatics
As the global leader in licensed sports merchandise, Fanatics is changing the way fans purchase their favorite team apparel, jerseys and headwear through an innovative, tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear in today’s on-demand, mobile-first culture, including manufacturing and distributing all Nike NFL and MLB jerseys and fan apparel sold at retail. Operating multi-channel commerce for the world’s biggest sports brands, Fanatics offers the largest collection of timeless and timely merchandise whether shopping online, on your phone, in flagship stores, in stadiums or on-site at the world’s biggest sporting events.
A Top 50 Internet Retailer Company, Fanatics comprises the broadest online assortment by offering hundreds of thousands of officially licensed items across its Fanatics, FansEdge, Kitbag, Majestic and Top of the World brands, as well as the largest selection of sports collectibles and memorabilia through Fanatics Authentic. Fanatics operates more than 300 online and offline stores, including the e-commerce business for all major professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, MLS, PGA), major media and esports brands (CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports, Bleacher Report, Activision Blizzard) and more than 200 collegiate and professional teams, which include several of the biggest global soccer and baseball clubs (Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, SoftBank Hawks).
In addition to e-commerce, the capabilities of Fanatics include omnichannel-integrated physical retail operations across a broad portfolio of flagship stores, team retail and special events; international capabilities that provide a global sports retail platform; and an in-house merchandise and manufacturing division that is a licensed partner of professional and collegiate leagues and teams and helps fans express passion through a broad range of styles, designs, jerseys and headwear created under the Fanatics, Nike, Top of the World and Majestic brands. Fanatics’ vertical manufacturing engine is built for the on-demand economy and brings much-needed agility to the industry, better servicing today’s passionate sports fans and their growing real-time expectations with more unique and innovative products readily available across retail channels.
Media Contact: National Lacrosse League: Katie Lavin, [email protected]
Fanatics: Brandon Williams, [email protected]
