Overwatch LeagueTM and Fanatics Team up for Groundbreaking Retail, Licensing, and Ecommerce Deal
December 03 2018 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Fanatics will become the official retail
partner of the Overwatch League
The first-ever esports deal for Fanatics
includes omnichannel retail and fan gear manufacturing rights
The Overwatch League today announced a groundbreaking,
multi-year deal with Fanatics, the global leader for licensed
sports merchandise, which will provide the Overwatch League fanbase
with an omnichannel retail experience along with a significantly
expanded assortment of products. The agreement marks the first-ever
foray into the rapidly expanding global esports industry for
Fanatics and is the first of its kind between a major retailer and
an official esports league.
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the full release here:
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The deal is highlighted by Fanatics securing U.S. and
international rights to produce Overwatch League jerseys, fan gear,
headwear, and hard goods sold across all retail and wholesale
channels. Under the new agreement, both parties also will work
collaboratively to identify and secure additional world-class
companies to grow the overall assortment of high-quality products
available to fans. In addition, Fanatics will establish a new
global ecommerce and mobile shopping platform and operate on-site
retail for all league events.
“Our collaboration with Fanatics—the first between a major
esports league and a global sports merchandising company—allows us
to reach even more fans and to provide them with high-quality
merchandise and a best-in-class retail experience where they can
shop for all our great Overwatch League gear,” said Brandon Snow,
chief revenue officer of Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues.
“Fanatics has a proven track record of success with major sports
brands and we’re excited to work with them in expanding this part
of our business.”
Fanatics—utilizing an innovative vertical manufacturing model,
combining extensive licensing rights with on-demand manufacturing
and an agile supply chain—will design and quickly distribute
high-quality Overwatch League fan gear across all categories,
including merchandise for league events and championships.
“The demand for team gear during our inaugural season was very
strong,” said Daniel Siegel, head of esports licensing for Blizzard
Entertainment. “A significant number of fans—for regular-season
matches at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles and at the Grand Finals in
Brooklyn—showed up in jerseys to support their teams, and we’re
thrilled to make it even easier for them to represent their
favorite teams and players.”
“Esports has been on our radar for some time now and we are
incredibly excited to mark our first deal with the best in the
world in Activision Blizzard around their incredibly successful
Overwatch League,” said Ross Tannenbaum, head of special projects
for Fanatics. “Our omnichannel retail capabilities and real-time
vertical manufacturing model will ensure that Overwatch League fans
across the globe have unprecedented access to a wide assortment of
merchandise to be able to show their passion and pride for the
teams and players they love, whether shopping online, on their
phone, or at one of many league events.”
The agreement between the Overwatch League and Fanatics will be
implemented before the start of the 2019 Overwatch League season,
which kicks off on February 14. At that time, Overwatch League gear
will be available on a dedicated e-store and on select sites across
Fanatics’ global network.
The new online storefronts will be the first to sell gear for
the Overwatch League’s new expansion teams: Atlanta Reign, Chengdu
Hunters, Guangzhou Charge, Hangzhou Spark, Paris Eternal, Toronto
Defiant, Vancouver Titans, and the Washington Justice. Fanatics
will operate on-site retail stores for all Overwatch League
regular-season matches at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles and for other
league events.
Further details about the official launch of the new Overwatch
League ecommerce platform and the 2019 season will be announced at
a later date.
About the Overwatch League™
The Overwatch League™ is the first major global professional
esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North
America. Overwatch® was created by globally acclaimed publisher
Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard—Nasdaq:
ATVI), whose iconic franchises have helped lay the foundations and
push the boundaries of professional esports over the last 15 years.
The latest addition to Blizzard’s stable of twenty-two #1 games,[1]
Overwatch was built from the ground up for online competition, with
memorable characters and fast-paced action designed for the most
engaging gameplay and spectator experiences. To learn more about
the Overwatch League, visit www.overwatchleague.com.
About Fanatics
As the global leader in licensed sports merchandise, Fanatics is
changing the way fans purchase their favorite team apparel and
jerseys through an innovative, tech-infused approach to making and
selling fan gear in today’s on-demand culture. 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 stores, in
stadiums or on-site at the world’s biggest sporting events.
© 2018 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE,
BLIZZARD, and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard
Entertainment, Inc., in the United States and/or other
countries.
[1] Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records
and reports from key distribution partners.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking
Statements: Information in this press release that involves
Blizzard Entertainment's expectations, plans, intentions or
strategies regarding the future, including statements about the
multi-year deal with Fanatics, the dates of the 2019 Overwatch
League season, and the availability of Overwatch League gear, are
forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number
of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard
Entertainment's actual future results to differ materially from
those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this
release include unanticipated product delays and other factors
identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s
most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this
release are based upon information available to Blizzard
Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this
release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard
assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when
made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not
guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or
Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and
other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause
actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181203005191/en/
Mark Van LommelOverwatch League949-955-1380
x61147MVanLommel@overwatchleague.com
Brandon WilliamsFanatics646-787-2813brawilliams@fanatics.com
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