UK Athletics announced a 12-year partnership with Fanatics on Friday morning, a first-of-its-kind model designed to generate revenue for UK athletes.
Fanatics, founded in 2011, is a digital sports platform that has seized the sports industry over the years, selling pro and collegiate merchandise, trading cards, memorabilia, collectibles and more. They also opening a sportsbook in 2023.
With the inked partnership, Fanatics will work with select Kentucky athletes through its Creator Program, the company’s marketing platform for influencers. Within the Fanatics Creator Program, UK athletes can launch affiliate storefronts, curate product collections and link/sell merchandise through their social media posts.
In terms of collectibles, through its Topps and BowmanU brands, the deal allows UK Athletics to design, produce, and distribute collectible trading cards that feature current UK student-athletes and notable University of Kentucky alumni.
“This is an exciting next step in our mission to put student‑athletes first in everything we do,” Nathan Schwake, the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Licensing and Branding at UK Athletics said. “We want our athletes to succeed on the field and on the court while giving Big Blue Nation the opportunity to support them by wearing Kentucky-branded gear with pride. This new agreement creates meaningful, real-world opportunities for our student-athletes and strengthens the connection between our teams and our fans.”
Fanatics runs the UK Team Shop and serves as the primary apparel licensee, distributing Kentucky merchandise across notable retailers, including Kroger, Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, the University of Kentucky Bookstore, etc.
The partnership was manufactured through BBNIL, the University of Kentucky’s NIL platform operated with the help of JMI Sports. All Fanatics NIL campaigns and content will be developed and managed through BBNIL.
NIL has been reconstructing the landscape of college athletics for numerous years now, and while UK Athletics has proven that it’s willing to adapt in the past, creating BBNIL, Champions Blue, etc., the newly inked partnership with Fanatics is a another testament to UK Athletics’ mission to put its athletes first.
“We look forward to aligning with Wildcat student-athletes to promote Kentucky licensed merchandise online and across major retail accounts we service,” Tommy Gray, Senior Vice President of Fanatics College said. “Their (UK’s) reach and authenticity, combined with Fanatics’ dynamic platform and expertise throughout the competitive licensed sports merchandise and collectibles landscape, will be a powerful catalyst for growth and connection across Big Blue Nation.”
