Off Season Ups the NFL’s Merch Game
Published 17 January 2025
As highlighted in The Merch Boom, sportswear merchandise is a burgeoning category that only continues to grow as fan culture spreads into unexpected demographics and territories. Now, US-based designer and upcycler Kristin Juszczyk’s new National Football League (NFL) brand promises to blend creative design with spectator pride, tapping this increasingly lucrative and ever-expanding market.
In partnership with both the NFL and global merchandise retailer Fanatics, Off Season is born out of Juszczyk’s desire to “elevate NFL fan apparel”. It offers official licensed puffer vests and coats representing five NFL teams at launch, including the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
The wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk has garnered much attention online after making custom pieces for numerous players and their partners during the most recent season (including Taylor Swift and Olympian Simone Biles). Her business partner Emma Grede is also a co-founder of Skims, currently an official partner of both the National and Women’s National Basketball Associations, as well as Team USA at the Olympics.
Off Season
Off Season
Off Season
Off Season
 Off Season |  Off Season |  Off Season |
Future Off Season drops will see the brand expand its offerings to other teams, as well as further apparel and accessories categories. Plus, as we explored in The Merch Boom, there’s increasing consumer appetite not just for more sartorially conscious fan merch across the board, but also for more girly, female-focused sportswear tie-ins. Think Baublebar’s jewellery collection or Lele Sadoughi’s headbands – both in collaboration with the NBA. Off Season is uniquely positioned to fill this lucrative market gap for football fans.
Sports like American football are continuing to gain popularity with fans outside of the US, so brands and leagues alike should also keep an eye on merch opportunities in unexpected territories like the UK and Europe.
For further insights on fan merchandise (in sportswear and beyond), watch out for our new merch report, publishing in February.
