Nike Inc. and Fanatics Inc. signed their first three-way apparel deal with an individual professional sports club, inking a long-term agreement with Japan’s most successful baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants.
As part of the arrangement, Nike will become the Giants’ official uniform supplier while Fanatics will make the on-field uniforms as well as Nike-branded jerseys and apparel, the companies said in a statement Tuesday. In addition, Fanatics will operate e-commerce and physical retail operations for the Giants.
The pact builds on agreements that Nike and Fanatics have in place with the National Football League, Major League Baseball and U.S. universities. The deal "will benefit Yomiuri Giants fans with a larger selection of high quality merchandise,” Masanori Kawana, managing director of Fanatics in East Asia, said in the statement.
Fanatics will unveil a new online offering for Giants fans at the end of January and refurbish stores at the team’s stadium, the Tokyo Dome, in time for the 2023 season. Closely-held Fanatics will also serve as the master licensee for the Japanese team’s merchandise portfolio.
Financial terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed, nor was its duration. The deals Nike and Fanatics have with the NFL and MLB last 10 years.