Amazon scores a big NFL merchandise deal

The giant retailer will now carry large amounts of NFL merch to supplement its Thursday Night Football partnership.

| More on:
2 professionals shaking hands

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Shortly after inking a deal as the exclusive broadcaster of Thursday Night Football games through its streaming service, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has secured another alliance with the NFL to carry an expanded range of league-related merchandise.

Sportico reports most officially licensed brands on the NFL website are now available on Amazon, too.

Among the many brands now appearing on Amazon for the first time, Fanatics is one potentially getting a significant boost from the partnership.

The licensed sports merchandise company is now valued at $12.8 billion after a fresh round of funding from Silver Lake Partners announced yesterday, which added $320 million to the privately held company's war chest.

Investors have been waiting impatiently for a Fanatics IPO for some time, but a spokesman remarked yesterday that while "an IPO is clearly an available option to us, there is no update on any timeline." Expansion to Amazon's colossal marketplace could make the company even more attractive as an initial public offering.

The official provider of on-field NFL apparel, Nike (NYSE: NKE), is notably left out in the cold by the new pact, Sportal reports. Nike axed its first partnership with Amazon back in November 2019, possibly partly over Amazon's alleged inability to prevent the sales of fake Nike items by third-party sellers.

Neither Amazon nor the NFL has yet commented publicly on the new partnership, so its duration and exact terms remain unknown for now.

Amazon is continuing its aggressive expansion policy in everything from sports streaming to backing the IPO of food delivery company Deliveroo, though it is also drawing some criticism for reportedly imposing intrusive monitoring of delivery drivers that even includes a collection of biometrics such as yawning.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Rhian Hunt has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Amazon and recommends the following options: long January 2022 $1920 calls on Amazon and short January 2022 $1940 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

More on International Stock News

A young entrepreneur boy catching money at his desk, indicating growth in the ASX share price or dividends
International Stock News

Why this high-flying investor is selling Tesla shares and buying this US tech stock instead

Ark Invest funds have been selling the electric vehicle maker's stock over the last few weeks and reinvesting the proceeds…

Read more »

two computer geeks sit across from each other with their laptop computers touching as they look confused and confounded by what they are seeing on their screens.
International Stock News

Is Nvidia stock heading to $175?

The bulls are lining up ahead of Nvidia's earnings report next week.

Read more »

A woman holds a bitcoin token in her hand as she smiles at the camera in the background.
International Stock News

Bitcoin keeps soaring. Could it hit $95,000 this week?

Could the current crypto rally have enough juice to push the coin above that once-inconceivable level?

Read more »

A boy in a green shirt holds up his hands in front of a screen full of question marks.
International Stock News

2 reasons to buy Nvidia shares before November 20 (and 1 reason to wait)

This top AI stock has soared nearly 200% this year!

Read more »

A group of friends push their van up the road on an Australian road.
International Stock News

Why Tesla stock just pulled back

Tesla finally hit a speed bump after a blistering post-election rally.

Read more »

Two happy excited friends in euphoria mood after winning in a bet with a smartphone in hand.
International Stock News

Why Tesla stock keeps going up

Tesla stock costs more than $1 trillion now. Is that too expensive?

Read more »

A businessman in soft-focus holds two fingers in the air in the foreground of the shot as he stands smiling in the background against a clear sky.
International Stock News

2 Numbers I'll be looking for on November 20 when Nvidia reports earnings

While many analysts and investors will be looking at revenue and profit growth, two other figures are more important to…

Read more »

A man wearing a blue jumper and a hat looks at his laptop with a distressed and fearful look on his face.
International Stock News

Magnificent Seven: Unstoppable tech stock giants or risky buys?

Did you know the "Magnificent Seven" moniker was meant as a warning, not an endorsement? Check out the risks and…

Read more »