An East Carolina Spinner adorns a front lawn.

Win-Wind Situation
Sports Spinners Find Success in Licensed Market
May 15, 2007

Sports licensing received a nice little gift four years ago when Sports Spinners entered the marketplace. The wind-propelled lawn items were an immediate hit with consumers for their vibrant colors and striking collegiate logos. Sports fans—SEC football fanatics, in particular—loved them.

New Tech Kites was so impressed that the company recently purchased Sports Spinners. “We’ve kept it as its own brand,” says general manager Chris Schultz. “The name really helps when it comes to marketing.”

New Tech also has a line of collegiate logo kites.

So does the stable of schools licensed for Sports Spinners. Originally, the company focused its efforts on the Southeast. But steadily Sports Spinners have expanded westward. Ohio State, Texas and Texas A&M are now under contract, and Schultz says adding the Pac-10 is the next goal.

“There is a real football connection to Sports Spinners,” he says. “Some of it has to with tailgating. Football fans like to congregate outside for games, and they like to show their team pride. Sports Spinners are a perfect fit for them.”

Currently, Sports Spinners are sold mostly through fan shops, home and garden stores and toy stores. According to Schultz, New Tech Kites is interested in increasing its distribution channels for Sports Spinners, including its number of sales reps and the territory they cover.

Schultz also expects to start looking into licenses with the pro leagues. “We’re still tapping into lots of different markets,” he says.