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 T.K. Stohlman beamed like proud papas as they shook hands and posed for photos. And they should have been beaming: 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.

Among the FanPrint fans in attendance to show their support were Dallas Cowboy great Charles Haley, Tech Wildcatters co-founder Gabriella Draney, Matt Alexander, Mike Sarimsakci, Ross Hougland, Brett Dougall, Scott Boyles and Landon Ledford.

Darren Woodson, T.K. Stohlman, Charles Haley

Photo by Desiree Espada

Darren Woodson, T.K. Stohlman, Charles Haley

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State of innovation

Texas ranks among 5 best states to start a business in 2025

Photo by Mykyta Kravčenko on Unsplash

Texas' friendly business climate has allowed the state to regain its rightful position among the top five best states to start a new business.

As one of the largest states in the U.S., it's no surprise Texas is big on business and entrepreneurship. Now the state is earning new praise among WalletHub's 2025 list of "Best & Worst States to Start a Business."

The Lone Star State claimed the No. 4 spot in the report's rankings — putting Texas in a better shape than it was last year when it earned No. 8 in WalletHub's 2024 report.

The study compared all 50 states across 25 metrics to determine the best places to start, grow, and find success with a new business. Factors that were considered include the number of startups per capita, job growth rates, financing accessibility measures, labor costs, and corporate tax rates.

The three states to outperform Texas are Florida (No. 1), Georgia (No. 2), and Utah (No. 3). Idaho rounded out the top five.

Across the study's three main categories, Texas performed the best in the "business environment" rank, earning No. 1 nationally. This section compared the states based on its five-year business survival rates, average business revenues growth, and more.

Texas ranked No. 12 in the nationwide comparison of "access to resources" – which covers working age population growth, venture investment amounts per capita, and other means – and earned a fair No. 34 in the report's "business costs" ranking.

But Texas can still do better with its business friendliness to reclaim a top-three overall ranking, which the state last earned in 2023.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report that it is imperative for potential new business owners to establish their enterprise in a place that can maximize their ability to succeed.

"Around half of all new businesses don’t survive five years, so the idea of becoming a business owner can be daunting, especially with the current high cost of living," Lupo said. "The best states have low corporate tax rates, strong economies, an abundance of reliable workers, easy access to financing and affordable real estate. On top of that, you’ll need to make sure you start in a place with an engaged customer base, if you’re operating locally."

Dallas has also proven to be at the top of the destination list for entrepreneurs who are looking for their next venture.

The top 10 best states to start a new business in 2025 are:

No. 1 – Florida
No. 2 – Georgia
No. 3 – Utah
No. 4 – Texas
No. 5 – Idaho
No. 6 – Oklahoma
No. 7 – Nevada
No. 8 – Colorado
No. 9 – Arizona
No. 10 – Kentucky

business entrepreneurship rankings texas wallethub