The Jacksonville Jaguars will travel 20,280 miles during the NFL’s 2018 regular season, including eight away games and one home game in London. So, while Leonard Fournette will be racking up the frequent-flyer miles, he’ll also be boarding planes in style.
Calego International Inc., the owner and operator of iFLY Luggage, recently announced a collaboration with the Jaguars running back to introduce X Series 7, a collection of exceptional bags and travel accessories inspired by Fournette’s sense of style and named for his football roots. This new product rollout will launch five days before the team travels to London on October 28 for a special overseas contest against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles.
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This partnership, which was executed on Leonard’s behalf by Roc Nation Sports, expands an already-robust sponsorship portfolio for Fournette.
Game 1 tomorrow. @_fournette taking flight with @iFLYluggage on the road this season! pic.twitter.com/LWEpAG8XNZ
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) September 8, 2018
The former LSU standout previously received one of the most valuable endorsement contracts ever for an NFL rookie when he entered into a multi-year deal with Under Armour, joining other prominent NFL players to endorse the brand such as Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Julio Jones and Demaryius Thomas.
Between anchoring Under Armour’s homepage design and now moving into the luggage realm, Fournette is carving a niche with off-field lifestyle brands.
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The collaboration with iFLY was particularly fun for Fournette, who was allowed to provide some creative direction.
“We named it X Series 7 for New Orleans’ seventh ward, the number I wore in college, and my jersey number today,” Fournette said. “Playing in Jacksonville, I travel more than just about any other team, and iFLY is the only luggage I trust. I’ll be carrying some custom pieces by iFLY throughout the season, and our new collection X Series 7 will drop just as we’re taking off for London.”
The X Series 7 collection will offer three new pieces, including a backpack, duffel bag and essentials kit. Each piece is intuitively designed, expertly crafted, and loaded with useful functions — including airline-approved USB ports, electronic identity theft protection, and 1680D ballistic nylon.
The X Series 7 collection, which includes a lifetime warranty, will be available exclusively on iFLYLuggage.com.
“iFLY is constantly focused on bringing unprecedented value to travelers across the U.S. This collaboration is just the latest example of that commitment,” said David Rapps, director of corporate development at Calego. “We want travelers to have the very best travel products at the lowest possible prices so they can spend their money on those things that are most important to them. We want Leonard to excel on and off the gridiron, and share his travel stories with all his fans.”
iFLY was recently recognized by Walmart Inc. as its “2018 Supplier of the Year” in the Home Organization category. The honor comes amidst record sales of iFLY products nationwide, including iFLY’s best-selling Rose Gold Fibertech and X Series collections. According to a press release, iFLY sells more than 50 SKUs across Walmart stores thanks to its commitment to excellence and unique value proposition: that great luggage shouldn’t cost more than your airfare.
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“We offer best-in-class luggage at incredible prices. Our products are hugely popular among travelers who know great value when they see it, and who travel with a sense of purpose,” Rapps said. “Leonard reflects iFLY Luggage perfectly. In addition to being a best-in-class football player, he’s a great person who shares our passion for travel with purpose — be it for business, for pleasure, or both.”
Before this campaign was launched, the business development lifecycle began spinning rather quickly, simply because of previous relationships and an admiration for how Fournette has jumped into his personal branding off the field.
“We’ve been fans of Leonard’s for a long time, and have enjoyed seeing him engage with his fans on social. Michael Yormark and his team at Roc Nation have been first-class partners and we got the partnership done very quickly because we just clicked,” Rapps said.
Now that Fournette has given the NFL a presence within iFLY’s brand, what is next? Would the company look to expand its sports marketing portfolio by forging potential partnerships with, say, NBA, MLB, or NHL stars?
“We’re interested in partnering with exceptional talents who are also exceptional people, and who share our passion for travel,” Rapps said. “Our motto at iFLY is: great luggage shouldn’t cost more than your airfare. Anyone who values experiences more than things, and loves to travel, probably has a lot in common with iFLY.”
In addition to carrying the ball 20-25 times a game, Fournette is now carrying that message to his rapidly growing audience in the lifestyle space.
