Fanatics Launches New NHL Collection in Cooperation with Lululemon

Fanatics NHL Partnership with Lululemon: Key Insights

• Launching a New NHL Merchandise Collection: To kick off the new hockey season, Fanatics launches a new merchandise line with athletic apparel retailer Lululemon.

• Increasing Competition to Nike and Adidas: Lululemon is seen as a strong competitor to market leaders Nike and Adidas. The new partnership is thought to improve brand recognition and loyalty.

Fanatics is currently partnering with Lululemon on a new collection of NHL merchandise for the season that started in October of this year. This is the 108th NHL season and the creative campaign launches on October 29th. The products encompass hoodies, pants, jackets, t-shirts and bags. They will be offered primarily through Fanatics’ distribution channels, although some items will also be available on the Lululemon platform. Fanatics is a digital sports platform that sells licensed sports merchandise and collectibles. It is also a platform for online betting and casino (“iGaming”), as well as live commerce.

Lululemon: A Competitor to Nike and Adidas

With this new partnership, Lululemon is following in the footsteps of Nike, which is usually the go-to company for Fanatics collaborations. Nike-branded fan apparel can be found in the NFL, MLB and college football. 

In general, Lululemon is seen as a strong competitor to the sports apparel market leaders Nike and Adidas. The company started as a yoga clothing retailer, but has since expanded into sportswear and sports equipment.

Lululemon has already worked with a few NHL clubs. It recently signed Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard as its first NHL brand ambassador, showing that the NHL affiliation isn’t unheard of. The new merchandising deal, however, takes that partnership to a new level: The collection will begin with 11 NHL teams this season and expand to all 32 teams next season.

Sources: Fanatics, Inc – NHL – Sportico