Originally Published by JCPenney.
JCPenney has partnered with Fanatics, Inc., the global leader for officially licensed sports merchandise, to launch Fanatics shops designed to entice loyal sports fans to see and buy the latest and most popular team apparel right inside their local JCPenney store. Just in time for Father’s Day, customers can now find Fanatics shops exclusively in 325 JCPenney stores, featuring a curated selection of local collegiate and professional sports team merchandise for men, women and children, representing all major sports leagues. Building on the Company’s existing partnership with Fanatics for the retailer’s online Sports Fan Shop, JCPenney plans to introduce approximately 325 additional Fanatics destinations by the back-to-school season for a total of 650 shops.
“Fanatics offers fans the world’s largest collection of official sports brands, merchandise and apparel in the industry. We’re delighted to combine their best-in-class assortment with a dynamic in-store experience that offers sports fans a one-stop destination for all their local team apparel needs,” said James Starke, senior vice president and head of merchandising. “Combining a stunning specialty store environment with the unparalleled power of our online Sports Fan Shop provides JCPenney a unique competitive advantage, driving spend and frequency of visits to both stores and JCPenney.com.”
The approximately 650 sq. ft. Fantatics shops feature modern fixtures, bold graphics and stylized mannequins showcasing t-shirts, sideline apparel, specialty jerseys and more from leading national brands such as Majestic, Fanatics, adidas, New Era and Nike. Shoppers can also discover an expansive headwear wall and choose from a vast selection of fitted, flex, snapback and adjustable hats. The shops will be continually refreshed each sports season, giving fans an opportunity to stock up on their latest team gear, whether they are cheering on their favorite baseball team in the spring or football team in the fall.
Furthermore, 50 JCPenney stores in top sports markets offer a premium Fanatics shop experience. These flagship destinations boast approximately 1,300 sq. ft. of space, elevating the shopping environment with 55-in. mounted flat-screen televisions projecting the Company’s latest marketing, back wall fan graphics, sports paraphernalia and an oversized headwear wall. These fully-immersive shops include interactive iPads, allowing displaced fans to connect to the retailer’s online Sports Fan Shop, where they can conveniently order Fanatics items online, from any sports team, with just a few easy taps. For fathers who appreciate the perfect blend of sports and movies, the premium Fanatics shops also offer MLB affinity apparel featuring Disney and Star Wars designs exclusive to JCPenney. Dads looking to hit a home run for the family can find items such as a Mickey Red Sox Disney t-shirt by Fanatics for $34.95 or a Los Angeles Dodgers and Star Wars co-branded t-shirt by Fanatics for $34.95.
