Fans of the NFL who would like to have merchandise to the latest, greatest moments may now have the chance to buy special apparel almost immediately after it happens.
That is because the league has partnered with e-commerce site Fanatics to produce merchandise based on “micro moments,” which are special events that can be translated to bankable memorabilia on products like T-shirts or posters, according to ESPN.
This means that the league can work with Fanatics to develop products that are tied to possible records or events that are coming up ahead of time, such as the retirement of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. The NFL will also set up a system that approves designs within minutes after a memorable highlight happens on the field, such as New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr.’s catch against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.
“We live in an on-demand world,” Fanatics CEO Doug Mack told ESPN. “It’s not good enough to get the scores in the morning paper and in the social media age we live in, fans want what they want now.”
The partnership with Fanatics is notable, as the sports technology startup valued at $3 billion powers online stores for almost every single major American sports league: NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, and the PGA Tour. The startup was reported to have generated around $1 billion in revenues in 2013.
The NFL will also hope this adds to its merchandising bottom line. The NFL Players Inc., which is the licensing and marketing arm of the NFL Players Association, reported retail sales exceeding $1.4 billion during the 2014-2015 season.
