A key discussion around the way women’s sports are taking off is about the merchandise options for those sports. Women’s sports fans have often pointed out limited offerings and sizes in apparel in particular. But we are starting to see some companies offering expanded offerings there, and the latest comes from apparel company Homage.
For years, Homage has been offering a variety of apparel products based on the team selection screen of the famed NBA Jam video game. Those have included current NBA players , cartoon characters from Space Jam , sayings from the game , and more.
This year, the company expanded that to the WNBA. And they got a lot of attention in particular for a Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese team-up shirt they released ahead of the WNBA All-Star Game, notable considering all the discussion about those two players. But at that time, they only had 12 different WNBA Jam products, and not all teams were represented.
Homage has now expanded this collection to 39 products covering all WNBA teams, as well as offering youth sizes. CEO Ryan Vesler spoke to AA by email this week about that decision, saying this year’s growth in interest in their WNBA products (which go well beyond just the WNBA Jam collection) led to first this new collection, and now its expansion.
“Overall, it’s been a transformational year for the WNBA, and that applies to the WNBA apparel we sell at Homage as well,” Vesler said. “We’ve had the license for a number of years and this has, by far, been our most successful.”
He said they picked up the WNBA license through their NBA deal, and it made sense to now expand it with the Jam tees given the way those have sold in other sports.
“ For the WNBA, specifically, the process was an extension of our longstanding relationship with the NBA, which welcomed the idea,” Vesler said. “ The Jam tees are always a fan favorite, regardless of league.”
Vesler said the initial selections for the Jam tees focused on some of the most-discussed duos, who he thinks are some of the top athletes out there.
“ We started rolling out the WNBA Jam collection earlier this summer with some of the duos who were getting attention in the media. The collection debuted with tees for Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston , Chicago Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese, and LA Sparks’ Cameron Brink and Kia Nurse . These are some of the greatest athletes playing hoops today.”
He said the fan reaction to that is what led to the expansion into youth sizes.
“ The response to the collection has been great, and it’s just so humbling to play a small part in the growth of the sport. When you watch the fans watching these games, one thing that stands out are the kids. They see what they themselves can be in these players. So we knew we had to offer this collection in adult and youth sizes too.”
And he said that reaction is what led to this going from a limited collection to something covering all teams.
“ Our customers love the Jam tees, and whenever we post a limited collection, we get flooded with requests for more. We try to have at least one for every team, so that we don’t leave any fans out.”
On the size front, Homage is also expanding its size offerings on the NFL front to youth and baby sizes. Vesler said those sizes are key growth areas for them.
“We’re seeing strong interest in youth across the board. The NFL youth and baby collection is another one we are very proud of here at Homage. We wanted to offer something for the entire family for a long time and recently launched the ‘ Just a Kid From ‘ collection for youth for every NFL team. These tees boast the same signature look and feel as Homage adult tees.”
On the Jam tees, NBA Jam is only one of the video game licenses Homage has acquired. They also have deals for NFL tees in both Tecmo Bowl and NFL Blitz styles. But Vesler said Jam stands out as something that was a fond memory for him and has turned into a crucial part of the brand and one that can fit with all sorts of sports leagues and beyond.
“I believe that NBA Jam is one of the greatest videogames ever made, and have always wanted to include it as a part of Homage. Back in 2009, before there even was a standalone Homage store, I saved up and purchased an OG NBA Jam machine from a guy selling it on Craigslist. It was coin-operated, but we figured out how to set it to free play. And then we set it up at Sole Classics in the Short North [area of] Columbus and hosted a tournament. How people came together over a shared love of the game was incredible to see.
“Much later came NBA Jam t-shirts, once we had a license with the NBA. We’ve made them for the NFL and NBA. And, now, adding the WNBA to the lineup is an honor. We’ve also been known to drop the occasional Jam tee that captures fun pop culture moments outside of sports. We’ve done ones here and there when it makes sense.
“We did one for The Office with the character Kevin Malone vis-a-vis a tub of chili. That was a lot of fun and got a ton of momentum when Aaron Rodgers wore it. And we did one more recently for Marvel’s Deadpool and Wolverine, which became an instant best-seller. It’s crazy to think that the Jam tees are somewhat synonymous with Homage.”
There can be challenges in running a company marketing both to fans of the biggest leagues like the NFL and smaller leagues like the WNBA, or the fans of the various pop culture brands Homage works with. But Vesler said they focus on producing their best for fans of whatever property they’re working on, and the way these WNBA tees have taken off illustrates there’s a notable market there.
“Our philosophy is simple: celebrate the love of the game, no matter where it’s played. The success of our WNBA Jam player tees is proof that passion for sports isn’t limited to the legacy leagues. Whether it’s the NFL or the WNBA, the connection fans have with their teams runs deep, and it’s that connection we’re here to honor. We don’t see it as balancing between leagues, we see it as embracing the stories that are meaningful to people.”
And Vesler said he expects the WNBA’s overall popularity to continue to rise as well.
“As this next generation of players continue to demonstrate their world-class talents, I fully expect fan interest to continue to grow for the WNBA. We’re thrilled to be a part of the growing fandom.”
The post WNBA’s ‘transformational year’ cited for Homage tripling WNBA Jam collection appeared first on Awful Announcing .
Most Popular
Comments / 0