Merchandising is a promotional method that incorporates franchising items and products that have a logo, in this case, for a sports team. Nearly all teams have done this in a bid to gain recognition and become a widely recognised brand. They sell jerseys, boots, hats, bags and so many more items with the colours and logos that are affiliated to the team. This is done not only with the aim of drawing attention towards themselves, but also to reap profits out of it for the benefit of the team and its facilities.
Reaping Massive Profits
The sports merchandise market is projected to reach 48.17 billion dollars by 2024 as estimated by the TMR, which marks a steady growth of 6.4% as gauged from 27.63 billion dollars in 2015. Imagine what a team could do with these funds! With the sale of the merchandise they have, the team gets to expand their training fields and equip themselves with quality sporting gear. These are just, but examples what use these funds can be used for when accessed by the team, such as quality basketball apparel. Being a very important resource, therefore, it should be taken seriously by teams.
Gaining Worldwide Recognition
Many people want to be recognised as supporters for the various teams by using merchandise with the team’s logo. Teams use the merchandising technique – which involves alliances with other sponsor organisations that have been strategically sought – as a marketing strategy to get noticed and to gain interest and support from all over. Take soccer for example; whenever a team, say Arsenal plays against another team, Arsenal fans would want to be recognised, hence have on scarfs and jerseys with gunner symbols on them, and, a favourite player at the back of the jersey.
Creating a Long-Lasting Impression
Nothing says “watch this space” as well-articulated merchandise by a team. It surely makes it appear as a force to reckon with, in and out of the field. Appealing to the amount of love and appreciation given to the logos and basketball uniform designs of the teams, merchandising is a great way to reach out to the fans as a way of attempting to elevate their status to the world class level. Which is the better way to do that than giving your fans something to love you for? The perfect strategy that provides teams with the edge over other teams is how they market themselves through the skills on the ground and the amount of effort and work they put to their merchandise.
Appeal to the Sense of Fashion
Jerseys and sports merchandise like sports shoes are often considered as a Friday attire. As much as people may want to show support, they also want to look fashionable and stylish while doing it. Sports brands, with the intent of capturing fashion, tend to brand other pieces of clothing such as children’s clothes and women silhouettes. Gone are the days when sports apparel were only men’s choice and the colours to be associated by women was pink. This is just how much sports merchandising has played a role in revolutionising fashion. In the words of Marty Brochstein, the Senior Vice President for Industry Relations and Information for the Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association – LIMA, many people nowadays tend to use their disposable income for the items they want to get, aside from the commodities they have to get. This is why a person will buy a mug with a team’s branding or a T-shirt with the colours and design of his or her favourite team.
