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A Passion for Fashion
Sportiqe Making Inroads in Licensed Apparel

Jason Franklin, the co-founder of Sportiqe, still remembers the inspiration to start his company. He and his friends loved going to sporting events, but they always walked right by the team shops because nothing caught their attention. "I saw a void in the licensed marketplace for fans concerned about fashion," says Franklin. "I decided to give them apparel they could understand."

Seven years later, Sportiqe is authoring a true David & Goliath story. Competing against the big boys in the licensed apparel industry, the company has made a powerful statement with its collection of t-shirts, v-necks, thermals, hoodies and track jackets for men and women. Sportiqe's licenses include the NBA, NCAA, USTA, World Series of Poker and ESPN.

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Patch Work
EyeBlack Looking to Make a Big Push at Retail

Peter Beveridge, the CEO of EyeBlack, sheepishly calls his company "the best kept secret in sports." But the irony is that EyeBlack products are among the most visible on the field and in the marketplace. Football players at more than 100 schools nationwide wear EyeBlack patches every Saturday. So do plenty of MLB stars. The company also has individual agreements with several NFL stars, including LaMarr Woodley, Adrian Wilson and Stevie Johnson.

"Our original mission was to provide athletes with functional EyeBlack that really works," says Beveridge. Indeed, EyeBlack offers four different shapes (Warrior, Smear, Original and Clear) in licensed and unlicensed styles. The company also does custom work designed for the team marketplace.

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SoftWear
Simply Sporty Bringing Fashion-Forward Femininity to Sports Apparel

When Lusine Mkrtchyan started Simply Sporty just over a year ago, she knew exactly what she wanted to bring to the sports apparel marketplace. Tired of making due with run-of-the-mill styles, the USC graduate took a fashion-forward approach to licensed clothing. After Simply Sporty's maiden voyage to the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show, Mkrtchyan is sure she's on the right track.

"I originally debated about exhibiting at the show because we're such a young company," she says. "It turned out to be a great decision. We got face time with a lot of key people, from retailers and buyers to different leagues and licensing experts. It's important for people to not only see our line but also feel how soft it is to the touch."

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Flame On
BIC USA Rolling Out Hot Products for 2012

Few exhibitors at the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show embody the spirit of these two markets as well as BIC does. The company's product mix appeals to both the devoted sports fan and the dedicated tailgater. If you happen to sell to both consumers (as many retailers do) then a stop at the BIC exhibit is well worth penciling in to your show itinerary.

Sports fans may already be familiar with BIC^® Pro Series^® Lighters, featuring some of the most popular teams from professional football, baseball, hockey and soccer. Suggested retail for the lighters is $1.79.

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Fashion Meets Function with Brewsees
Tailgaters Wrapping Their Minds Around New Eyewear Product

In the tailgating world, the skilled multi-tasker can achieve godlike status. The ability to do many things at once is what separates the men from the boys when the flame's on and the beer is flowing. Which explains the success of Brewsees, the stylish sunglasses that double as a bottle opener. Since hitting the market at the end of summer, they have been selling extremely well and already have a devoted Facebook and Twitter following.

"It's not obvious they are openers," says Rob Ianelli. "Brewsees are a great pair of sunglasses with a plastic polycarbonate frame, polarized lenses, and an airplane-grade aluminum opener housed at the end of the temple arms. The fact they open up bottles is almost secondary."

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MAN LAW Offers BBQ Service with a Smile
Getting Grilling Up To Code

Getting comfortable around a grill is one of those things that determines a guy's passage into manhood. Talk to any man and he thinks he's the best thing to ever happen to grilling. So it wasn't a stretch when the designers of MAN LAW BBQ utensils realized one Saturday afternoon, while flipping burgers, that there had to be something out there to improve upon one of man's favorite things to do.

"Basically it's barbecuing with an attitude," says Eric Halberg. "Our motto is good fire, good beer. All of our products have oversized handles, heavy-gauge 2.5 millimeter stainless steel—very manly tools, but with a humorous influence, too."

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A Great Idea All-Around
rEvolve "Chairing" a Tailgating Revolution

It's no secret that collapsible, portable fabric chairs have changed how Americans enjoy the great outdoors. Indeed, they are everywhere—tailgating, backdoor barbecues, or your kid's soccer game. But that didn't stop Todd Hills of rEvolve Chairs from trying to improve on the idea.

"The concept itself came up from a group of guys," he says. "We wondered what would be beneficial to the chair. And it was the swivel. You wouldn't have to always get up and always move around. You would just have to move left to right."

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Power Broker
Generac Meeting the Energy Needs of Tailgaters Nationwide

What's a tailgate party without any power? Thanks to Generac, sports fans never have to answer that question. The company offers a wide range of power generators, including many that are portable.

At this year's Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show, Generac will be showing the LP3250 portable generator and the GP3250 portable generator. "The LP3250 has been very well received," says Marketing Communications Specialist Art Aiello. "It is the only propane-fueled portable generator on the market that integrates the fuel tank into the chassis for exceptional portability and ease of use. The LP3250 has been featured on NBC's Today Show, and was also a recipient of a 2011 Retailers Choice Award from the North American Retail Hardware Association."

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Fast, Cool & Convenient
TurboChill Zooms into Tailgating Market

Nothing brings down a tailgating party like lukewarm beer. Tim Fenner felt that there had to be a better way to keep kegs cold. So he invented the TurboChill, a device he calls " the Ferrari of draft systems."

"We can pour a pint of beer in two to three seconds, with no need to refrigerate the keg and no electricity needed," Fenner says. "You can pour your beer at three times the speed, with zero waste, and your product is going to be served at 35 degrees. So your beer is as cold as you can get it… and your servers are serving beer three times faster. If you're in a high volume area – you can't beat it."

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Let There Be Light
Cloia Enterprises Making Corn Toss a Night Game

Corn toss is enjoyed all over the country these days. In fact, it's so popular that America's service men and women oversees play it too. So when Paul Dytmire of Cloia Enterprises and friends played late into the night, and vision became a problem, he came up with a novel idea—the Lite Da' Nite LED Score Tower

"I feel like this product really has a cool factor to it," says Dytmire. Currently, he is the process of putting Lite Da' Nite into production. Dytmire has received a patent for the product, which brings a whole new dimension to corn toss competition.

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TIA Bringing Tailgating 'Pitch Tank' to Las Vegas
Manufacturers, Innovators and Inventors
Heading for a Date with Destiny at Mandalay Bay

The Tailgating Industry Association (TIA) has forged an agreement with TVGoods, Inc. and its Chairman, Kevin Harrington, to produce a Tailgating Pitch Tank at the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show this January. Harrington—one of the stars of the ABC show Shark Tank—will be among the judges on the Pitch Tank panel. The pre-qualifying process is being handled by Hakan & Associates.

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Slam Dunk Deal
NBA Exhibit to Serve as Hub for Hoops Licensees in Las Vegas

The National Basketball Association made it official, announcing that it will exhibit at the 2012 Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show (January 11–13) at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. "We are looking forward to participating in this year's show," says Brian Keegan, Vice President of Retail Marketing and Development for the NBA's Global Merchandising Group

"The Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show is an important industry event," adds Keegan, who says the show "will provide us with the opportunity to support our licensees and our retail partners."

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Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show Welcomes adidas
High-Powered NBA Licensee Bringing Its A-Game to Las Vegas

With the pro hoops season back on track, NBA licensees have been busy making up for lost time. The NBA's largest footwear-and-apparel licensee, adidas, recently announced that it will be setting up shop at the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show (January 11–13, 2012) in Las Vegas. The move was prompted by the decision earlier this fall by the NBA to cancel its own trade event. The company joins a growing list of NBA licensees that have been nailing down booth space at Mandalay Bay in recent weeks.

"Sports Licensing buyers and concessionaires traditionally make up an important part of our attendees," says Show Director Stanley Schwartz of Showproco. "The sports leagues have always been great about supporting our show. Naturally, we're pleased we are in a position to accommodate adidas's trade-event needs."

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A Touch of Class
The Z-Access Display Frame Set for Industry Debut

People are always looking for the perfect method to display their sports memorabilia and keepsakes. The folks at The Lewibelle Company may have hit on a solution that will put a smile of the faces of consumers and retailers. The company recently introduced the Z-Access Display Frame, an ingenious product that allows you to show off prized possessions in a truly interactive way.

"What sets the Z-Access Display Frame apart is its clear flexible frame inserts, which gently conform around objects placed between them," says national sales rep Adam Hess. "The puncture-resistant, dual inserts fit securely within the hinged frame enabling treasured objects of virtually any shape to be suspended in full view."

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TIA Launches Tailgating Business e-Newsletter
First Issue of On the Plate Hits Industry In-Boxes

Last month, the The Tailgating Industry Association (TIA) began reaching out to manufacturers and suppliers to join its newly formed trade association. This month, TIA is reaching out to thousands of retailers with the premiere edition of its e-newsletter, entitled On the Plate. The colorful and informative four-page document covers the business side of tailgating, and includes perspectives that are relevant to businesses that sell to tailgating public, as wells as tailgating manufacturers.

Among the topics covered are the impact of Nebraska joining the Big Ten, the Washington Redskins "going solar," ESPN The Magazine's recent fan-centric issue, guidelines for use of TIA's Flipping Awesome logo, and a deal in the works to deliver deeply discounted ad rates to TIA members in national publications. On the Plate also spotlights breaking news from TIA members—including a "casting call" by a TV production company and sponsorship opportunities for a planned Guinness record bocce throw.

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Made to Order
Third Street Sportswear Sets Itself Apart as Custom Manufacturer

In licensed apparel, custom manufacturers are the exception rather than the rule. In the case of Third Street Sportswear, it's more accurate to say that the company is exceptional. "We're not limited by anything, including colors," says Laurie Thomas, Third Street's Sales Manager. "We're all custom-cut and sew. We don't run out of sizes. We can do almost anything."

Third Street has been keeping that promise for 25 years. Laurie's parents, Brad and Julie, started the company back in 1986. Today, Laurie runs the business along with her sister Becky. Licensing is a big part of what Third Street does. The company has more than 200 schools in the fold.

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Clear Choices
Perfect Cases Set for Debut at Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show

First-time exhibitors at the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show always create a buzz in Las Vegas. Among the new guys on the block in January will be Perfect Cases, a manufacturer that specializes in glass cases for sports memorabilia. "We're excited for the show," says company president Kurt Brown. "We've never been there before. It's a great opportunity to introduce Perfect Cases to the industry."

Of course, some in the sports memorabilia marketplace already know about the company. Perfect Cases can actually trace its roots back more than 30 years. The company is an offshoot of a nursery in Florida. "We made terrariums for plants of all kinds," says Brown.

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Corona Extra Makes a Statement to Tailgating Trade
Global Brand Returns to Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show

One of the successes of the 2011 Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show last January was the presence of the Corona Extra brand as an exhibitor as well as the name sponsor of The Style Show. The brand asserted its presence "favorite beer of tailgaters" during the three-day, trade-only event at the Mandalay Bay. At the 2012 show, Corona Extra will take its game to a whole new level as the brand returns to sponsor The Style Show, as well as the Ultimate Tailgate Party and other interactive activities.

Corona Extra will again be the presenting sponsor of the Tailgate Style Show (a runway fashion event featuring licensed sports apparel and accessories), and its iconic logo will ever present at the show Floor Plan, on all lanyards as well as Buyer Bags. Corona Extra will also hold a Tailgating Quiz Contest ensuring all tailgaters know their facts about their favorite beer brand and tailgating.

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Taildecker Building National Dealer Network
Popular Portable Adding Retail Accounts

With three sons in college over the years, Jim Golden has done his fair share of tailgating. And after countless hours of driving all over the country—with everything in tow from the grill to the TV—Jim eventually grew frustrated. "Every time we tried to go and visit with our children…to go tailgating, we ended up with no room in the vehicle," he says. "Then we had a greasy grill that we had to deal with. I thought there's got to be a better way." And that's how the idea for the Taildecker was born.

The Taildecker is a sturdy, 3' x 4' aluminium tailgate deck with a steel frame that fits securely in a vehicle's 2" receiver and holds up to 500 lbs. It can be set up in less than five minutes after pulling into a tailgating space. The Taildecker system includes optional accessories designed to make game day all the more enjoyable. Available locking accessories includes a tailgate storage trunk, tables, propane grills, umbrellas, TV/satellite stand, cooler, lantern stand, tall team flags, and a locking hitch pin.

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