Show Your Fandom
Dallas apparel innovator FanPrint hits big time with NFLPA deal
With the NFL season now in full swing, a Dallas-based apparel company is in a unique position to outfit fans with one-of-a-kind pieces while also providing some much-needed assistance to former football players.
FanPrint, which counts former Dallas Cowboy Darren Woodson as its director of partnerships, is a 2-year-old company and Tech Wildcatters grad that wanted to connect athletes to their fans using the power of social media. But they don't make your usual jerseys and hats; instead, FanPrint crowd sources its designs to deliver original, whimsical shirts, tank tops, hoodies and onesies.
After starting with some of the top sports graphic designers, FanPrint has slowly but surely built up a community of sports-loving artists who continually submit new designs. Any fan can submit their own design to FanPrint, ensuring that everything on the website is created by and for sports fans.
FanPrint was recently licensed by the NFL Players Association, and they worked out a deal where the royalties for every licensed NFLPA product goes to a player assistance fund that helps former athletes whose careers were shortened by injuries. It is the first and only NFLPA licensee to direct their royalties to the fund.
"Working with NFL players was great for FanPrint because it enabled us to grow our company at scale and allows us to help current NFL players have an impact by giving back to former guys in need who used to play in the league," says Rachel Duitch, director of marketing for FanPrint.
To celebrate the partnership, FanPrint thew a cocktail party in the new Tech Wildcatters office downtown, where Woodson and FanPrint founder
: During the party, FanPrint announced it has also inked deals with the NHL and MLB, so now the company can use the names and likenesses of players in all three leagues.Matt Alexander,