Sportswear is everywhere these days. Right alongside the massive growth of viewership, attendance, NIL, and everything else surrounding the business of sports, we’ve seen sports apparel steadily become even further entrenched in mainstream culture.
The models in Paris hit the runway like they’re dressed for a pick-up game. Incorporating stylish hats and team logos into your outfits is a reigning signifier of taste. For ’47, a privately held premium sports lifestyle brand, this isn’t anything new. The Massachusetts-based company has understood the potential of this market since, well, you guessed it: 1947.
’47 got off the ground when twin Italian brothers Henry and Arthur D’Angelo immigrated to America and started selling sports memorabilia on the streets of Boston at age 12. Seventy-seven years later, the business has licensing deals with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and several major colleges and universities to produce premium headwear and apparel.
“Prioritizing the needs and experiences of NASCAR fans is central to everything we make for them.”
Today, just ahead of the storied Daytona 500, ’47 is adding another powerhouse in American sports to its roster of iconic partners: NASCAR.
Moving forward, you can expect ’47-designed hats and gear for NASCAR itself and beloved NASCAR teams like Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, Richard Childress Racing, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, Trackhouse, 23XI, Joe Gibbs Racing, and other fan favorites. The company also has the rights to create apparel dedicated to NASCAR-owned tracks such as Talladega Superspeedway, Daytona International Speedway, and many more.
The deal comes at a time when NASCAR is experiencing a surge in popularity worldwide. Last year, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series’ total audience across NBC properties increased compared to 2022 and all eyes are on an even more prosperous 2024 season.
’47 put up impressive numbers of its own in 2023, selling 25 million units of headwear during the year. Dominic Farrell, president of ’47, sees the new relationship with NASCAR as an opportunity to accelerate its mission across the globe. “We believe ’47’s heritage of creating best-in-class headwear and apparel is a perfect match for the high expectations of the NASCAR fan,” he said in a statement announcing the partnership.
In a time of rising competition across the sportswear landscape, ’47 tapping in with an ultra-loyal fan base like NASCAR’s is a strategic choice. Now they’re betting on leveraging this new visibility to convert said motorsports fans once they get exposure to the brand’s hallmark high-quality goods. The industry has evolved since the D’Angelo brothers made that first trip across the pond, but the values of putting a great product in people’s hands remain the same.
“Prioritizing the needs and experiences of NASCAR fans is central to everything we make for them.” ’47’s VP of Design & Development, Steven Monti said. “We have a very talented and passionate Creative Team guided by ’47’s lead NASCAR designer, Lee Rodrigues—who joined the company in May 2023 to manage a group that was already moving full-speed ahead with designs – who sees the work with NASCAR as not just a commercial pursuit, but an artistic endeavor as well.
“NASCAR is a sports brand and license like no other with each team’s creative needs being as unique as their drivers. In creating designs for NASCAR, I seek to find a balance between the vintage-inspired, athletic fashion that ’47 is renowned for and the ‘loud and proud’ heritage of existing NASCAR products,” Rodrigues said."
As '47 embarks on this thrilling collaboration with NASCAR, we eagerly anticipate unveiling premium products that enhance the fan experience, graphics that capture the emotion of the sport, and above all, our hope is to create items that become cherished symbols, forever marking moments in the minds and hearts of NASCAR enthusiasts," Monti concluded.
When the 2024 NASCAR season begins at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, the high-octane racing stands to yet again capture the hearts of the sport’s millions of fans. Now, with a little help from ’47’s famous designs, they’ll be able to express that love with more fire than ever before.
