A consortium of buyers, including Jay-Z, Meek Mill and Maverick Carter, are investing alongside Fanatics
Washington, D.C. – February 18, 2022 – Juggernaut Capital Partners, a middle market private equity investor primarily in the consumer and healthcare sectors, is pleased to announce the sale of Mitchell & Ness, a leading provider of vintage/nostalgia licensed headwear and apparel with major licensing partnerships with the NBA, NFL, MLB and MLS, to leading global digital sports platform Fanatics, Inc.
“Mitchell & Ness is a pioneer in delivering authentic nostalgic jerseys and headwear, as well as licensed lifestyle and street fashion apparel. The Company is the perfect addition and complement to the Fanatics family of brands,” said Craig Hille, Managing Director at Juggernaut Capital Partners. “It has been a pleasure to partner with Kevin Wulff and the entire team at Mitchell & Ness for part of their over 100 year history to support the evolution of the brand and business model into the incredible company it is today. We will remain their biggest fans and are confident Mitchell & Ness and its team are well positioned for continued success under Michael Rubin’s and Fanatics’ leadership.”
With roots dating back to 1904, Mitchell & Ness has grown from a local sporting goods store to a leading sports and lifestyle brand, specifically within the sports licensed retro authentic apparel and headwear industry, holding licenses with elite pro leagues. Juggernaut Capital acquired Mitchell & Ness from adidas AG in 2016.
About Mitchell & Ness
Mitchell & Ness is a global platform in nostalgia headwear and apparel with longstanding licensing agreements across multiple professional sports leagues, including the NBA, NFL, MLB and MLS. To shop Mitchell & Ness collections and for more information, please visit www.mitchellandness.com.
About Juggernaut Capital Partners
Juggernaut Capital Partners is a private equity firm focusing on lower middle market companies, primarily in the consumer and healthcare sectors. Juggernaut has a family of funds representing over $1 billion of capital commitments and is currently investing out of Juggernaut Capital Partners IV, L.P. For more information on Juggernaut Capital Partners, please visit www.juggernautcap.com.
About Fanatics
Fanatics is the ultimate one stop sports fan destination that ignites and harnesses the passion of fans and maximizes the presence and reach for more than 900 sports properties globally. Leveraging these longstanding relationships, a database of more than 80 million global consumers and a trusted, recognizable brand name, Fanatics is furthering its innovation across the sports landscape and creating a next-gen digital sports platform, complete with offerings including merchandise, NFTs, sports betting and gaming, trading cards and much more.
For more information on Fanatics, please visit www.fanaticsinc.com.