Lately, the hype around football has been undeniable. While the sport has long been a popular American pastime, today we’re reaching another level of football frenzy. With a mix of entertainment, adoration and, of course, Taylor Swift, it’s no wonder why the NFL is among the most widely televised sporting leagues in the world.
A multitude of industries benefit from the culmination of Sunday football rituals. Local restaurants and bars cater to fans, home goods sales experience a lift around the Super Bowl as consumers prep for parties, and apparel benefits as we proudly don the logo, colors, and numbers of our favored teams.
When we look at sales of apparel with sports logos, the NFL accounts for the highest portion of U.S. sales revenue. It grew by 9% in 2023 over the prior year, according to Circana’s Consumer Tracking data. While men's apparel accounts for the majority of NFL clothing sold, it is women’s apparel that is growing the fastest.
In fact, women’s NFL apparel experienced a remarkable jump in the fourth quarter of 2023, selling five-times faster than men’s products for this period. Women’s NFL-licensed sweatshirts have shown consistent year-over-year growth during every week since the first Sunday game of the season, on September 10, through the end of 2023, according to Circana’s Retail Tracking data. If Saturdays are for the boys, it appears now Sundays are for the girls.
With the upcoming Super Bowl involving one of the most talked-about teams, this growth could be amplified in the coming weeks and months. When the home team heads to the Super Bowl, NFL-licensed apparel sales spike among local fans. In the first quarter of 2023, dollar sales of NFL-licensed apparel soared by more than 200% in the Kansas City and Philadelphia areas. This year could lead to repeated business in Kansas City’s apparel market.
It's clear that the NFL has transcended sports to become a cultural phenomenon. From the surge in women's NFL apparel to the local economic boost during Super Bowl seasons, football's influence reaches far beyond the field. As we eagerly await the upcoming Super Bowl showdown, it's not just about the game itself, but the entire experience that unites fans and fuels the thriving industries around it.
