Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott Keeps Running Hot, Signs Exclusive Alliance With Fanatics
By Barry Janoff
May 31, 2017: Ezekiel Elliott, who had a breakout season during his rookie year with the Dallas Cowboys, continues to reap the rewards in the off-season.
Fanatics, a global leader for officially licensed sports merchandise, has signed an exclusive deal that enables the company to become the sole distributor of authentic Elliott autographs, memorabilia and collectibles.
Financial terms of the pact were not disclosed.
"Ezekiel is a rising NFL star, and the mark he’s made on the sport in only his first professional season is extraordinary," Victor Shaffer, evp for Fanatics Authentic, said in a statement. "We couldn’t be more excited to add him to our stellar lineup of exclusive athletes and provide Cowboys fans around the world with the best assortment of memorabilia and collectibles available."
Elliott joins a roster of exclusive Fanatics athletes that include Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Steph Curry, Isaiah Thomas, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, David Ortiz and Alexander Ovechkin.
According to Elliott, "This is the first time I’m aligning with a company for officially licensed NFL memorabilia. The two most important things to me were to give my fans the coolest selection of memorabilia and to have a premium company authenticate and distribute my collectibles.
"After seeing the products offered and fan response to other exclusive guys like Steph Curry and Peyton Manning, I know I’m in the right place. I’m excited to partner with Fanatics," said Elliott.
Elliott not only had a major impact on the field in his rookie season — rushing for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns — but in NFL marketing and retail sales, as well.
According to the NFL Players Assn., Elliot set a precedent by becoming the first rookie to finish No. 1 in the fiscal year-end NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales list, where total retail sales for the year topped $1.6 billion.
That included being the top-selling NFL player across the Fanatics platform for the entire 2016 season.
The list is based on total sales of officially licensed NFL player merchandise, tracking year-end results from March 1, 2016 through Feb. 28, 2017.
Rankings include all NFL player-identified merchandise and products sold by 80+ official NFLPA licensees via online and traditional outlets, including Fanatics.
"It’s pretty humbling," Elliott said via the NFLPA. "When you’re a rookie, you’re just looking to put your head down, help the team, and learn the ropes. To accomplish this level of success off the field shows just how passionate football fans are in Dallas, Ohio, my home state of Missouri and all around the world.”
Elliott’s autographed memorabilia is now available at Fanatics.com, FanaticsAuthentic.com and NFLshop.com.
Elliott, Cowboys Top NFL $1.6BB Retail Sales Category
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