World Wrestling Entertainment®’s licensing agreements with fashion distributors Hybrid Tees and Fifth Sun are moving WWE-branded apparel – traditionally sold primarily at WWE live events and online at WWEshop.com – into major mass and mid-tier retailers as well as specialty and independent stores.
Product from Hybrid Tees includes WWE branded T-shirts, tank tops, fleeces and hats for distribution to mass and mid-tier stores. Hybrid Tees has already shipped product to JC Penney, Kohl’s, Mervyn’s, Goody’s and Target, among other retailers. Early results are positive with sell-through showing above average results. WWE branded T-shirts are among Target’s best selling apparel lines since being introduced earlier this year. This fall JC Penney boys will roll out a shop of WWE products which include short and long Tees, as well as fleece apparel.
Product from Fifth Sun includes WWE branded T-shirts, tank tops, fleeces and onesies for distribution at specialty and independent stores nationwide. Already reporting order figures above initial expectations, Fifth Sun is primarily focused on expanding WWE branded apparel into retailers with more aggressive and creative designs and they continue to grow their business with such customers as Hot Topic, Spencer Gifts and Urban Outfitters.
These two new license agreements are in addition to the WWE’s apparel now available at national casual apparel retailer Steve & Barry’s®. Products at Steve & Barry’s include sweatshirts, t-shirts, hats, and more. Since June 2006, the partnership has surpassed all sales expectations. WWE branded T-shirts, first introduced in early January 2007, have been incredibly popular at Steve & Barry’s stores. The apparel launch made a splash with an autograph signing with WWE Superstar Carlito, in-store WWE promotional videos nationwide on all Steve & Barry’s TV screens, banners, and special merchandise displays, as well as a WWE championship replica belt giveaway promotion. A full apparel line will be introduced this fall.
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