Nike expands Fanatics partnership with college sportswear deal

Sportswear giants Nike and Fanatics have come together once again on a long-term deal that will see them collaborate on the design and manufacture collegiate sports apparel.

Fanatics will gain the rights to make Nike-branded shirts, replica jerseys and other sports apparel, with the duo sharing the rights to supply a number of top universities through the agreement. Nike will produce in-game apparel for players, bringing an expanded assortment of merchandise to colleges.

A Nike spokesperson told Bloomberg that the partnership is part of the company’s “strategic shift” in how it serves its NCAA university partners.

It builds on an ongoing 10-year partnership between Nike, Fanatics and the National Football League through which Fanatics manufacturers and distributes merchandise via its e-commerce sites.