ESPN (IMG)
ESPN Consumer Products is “back back back.” This college football season, ESPN launched exclusive College GameDay co-branded merchandise with more than 20 universities, campus bookstores, and local retail partners such as Rally House, Lids, DICKS Sporting Goods, and more. The program achieved over 95% weekly sell-through, despite the show’s rapid, week-to-week location changes that leave just six days for product design development, production, and retail launch. Innovation continued with the ESPN Virtual Reality gift set, which earned a Best Educational TOTY nomination, secured a first-to-market nationwide rollout at Costco, and was featured on The Today Show as one of Toy Insider’s Hottest Holiday Toys of 2025. Overall, ESPN Consumer Products expanded in-store distribution to more than 20,000 U.S. stores, including Walmart, Target, Costco, TJX, Sam’s Club, CVS, and Lowe’s. The brand’s cultural relevance was further amplified through 2025 fashion collaborations with Hellstar, WWE, Complex, Adidas, KITH, and Homage.
FUTBOL CLUB BARCELONA
Futbol Club Barcelona is considered the best sports brand of the year because it represents far more than sporting success. On the occasion of its 125th anniversary, the club has reaffirmed its identity through creativity, innovation, and global impact. Futbol Club Barcelona combines tradition with a forward-looking vision, leading digital transformation, fan engagement, and sustainable projects within the sports industry. With over 450 million fans worldwide, record social media reach, and one of the most valuable football brands globally, FC Barcelona continues to set standards beyond the pitch. Its philosophy, “More than a club,” is reflected in its cultural influence, creative storytelling, and commitment to excellence, making it a benchmark for modern sports branding.
NASCAR
As America’s top motorsport, NASCAR accelerated into one of the most dynamic licensing years in its history, delivering 40% overall program growth and 15% YOY trackside retail growth—the strongest since 2014. NASCAR redefined motorsports licensing through elevated storytelling at retail, streetwear collaborations, and female-focused collections across more than 20 global retailers, including Bershka, Crocs, Anti Social Social Club, Cotton:On Kids, Hollister, Justice, Tilly’s, and Walmart—attracting younger, more diverse fans while driving strong performance. Youth engagement expanded through strategic partnerships with Disney•Pixar Cars and LEGO, building early brand affinity at scale. NASCAR continued its dominance in gaming, with NASCAR 25 becoming the strongest NASCAR franchise console launch in nearly a decade, amplified by over 50 million Creator Series views. On Roblox, NASCAR World in Driving Empire reached 30.2 million unique users and more than 330 million visits, earning two Innovation Awards and materially lowering the age of new fans. Blending heritage with contemporary culture, NASCAR set a new global benchmark in sports licensing excellence.
NFLPA
The NFL Players’ Association has grown, expanding the reach of players across markets with over 90 licensees. 2025 proved the celebrity status of NFL players extends far beyond the football field; superstars are making an impact across a range of categories. Through storytelling, the NFLPA has elevated traditional “sports IP” and is now showing up similarly to leading entertainment brands and influencers. The NFLPA made waves in unexpected markets, including dog treats with Bocce’s Bakery, took a stance on the importance of mental health with Peace Collective, and collaborated with Hasbro to capitalize on social media trends to launch an NFL Player version of Guess Who?, which quickly sold out on Walmart.com. 2025 is the year that players solidified their status as pop culture icons, with NFL games being 136 of the top 200 live broadcasts. Travis Kelce signed the 4th largest ever podcast deal, Ja’Marr Chase was the face of Bode’s FW25 runway show, and Travis Hunter entered the NFL with more followers than his drafting team.
Rip Curl – KMD Brands (Asembl Brands)
RipCurl’s licensed brand program is a best-in-class example of how a globally recognised sports brand can extend authentically into new lifestyle categories while staying true to its surf heritage. Built on RipCurl’s core DNA of performance, adventure, and beach culture, the program delivered highly aligned extensions across fashion, leisure, and personal care, reinforcing the brand’s authority beyond the ocean. Strategic collaborations with Abrand, Sunnylife, and Balco translated surf credibility into relevant categories. RipCurl x Abrand redefined denim through a technical, surf-inspired apparel collection, while RipCurl x Sunnylife introduced a 16-piece range of sustainable beach and pool products designed for families and younger consumers. The partnership with Balco extended RipCurl into sunscreen, strengthening the brand’s leadership in outdoor performance and protection. The program achieved strong commercial success, securing international distribution across major global retailers, including Tillys, Dillard’s, Urban Outfitters, and The Iconic. Collectively, these partnerships expanded category reach and reinforced RipCurl’s position as a leading lifestyle brand.
Yale (WildBrain CPLG)
Yale University is an iconic Ivy League institution with over 300 years of history, and its licensed merchandise is an important part of its mission, promoting the Yale brand globally. Yale Licensing aims to build the brand in the fashion and lifestyle space through apparel and accessories collections, securing distribution at major fashion retailers, including the Inditex Group, H&M, and territory leaders such as Alcott/Capri and Ulupinar. Other successful campaigns in the last two years include Les Deux, October’s Very Own, and Faherty Brand. In the U.S., we’re growing the core YALE bookstore and campus presence across all categories. Notable halo collections this year included Under Armour, Hype & Vice, and Lululemon Athletica Inc., with events and specialty retail placement at PacSun engaging students, alumni, and fashion-forward fans alike. Yale has entered new categories, including home and stationery with best-in-class partners across EMEA, India, South Korea, and the U.S.
