New Era began the conquest of Mexican sports in 2012 after having obtained the license of three of the most important professional leagues in the United States (MLB, NBA and NFL). Today it is the official cap of the most traditional leagues in the country: licensee of 14 of the 18 teams of Liga MX, of the 18 teams of the Mexican Baseball League (LMB), of the 10 of the Mexican Pacific League and the American Football League. Meanwhile, in Latin America it plans to expand with a total of 50 stores by the end of 2022.
After planting its flag in the NFL in 2012, the last of the three most important leagues in the United States that it had yet to tie, New Era began the conquest of the Mexican market. That same year it established its offices in Mexico and in soccer it was introduced through Xolos de Tijuana, later Monterrey, Tigres and Santos were added and by 2022, 14 Liga MX teams ceded the headwear license to the company based in Buffalo, New York.
However, in Mexico baseball is the strong point of the brand, it has the headwear license of the LMB and the LMP, whose annual sales were around 270,000 caps a year until before the pandemic. Meanwhile, from 2019 to 2021 the brand grew by 25% and from 2021 to 2022 it plans to grow more than 40%. In addition to holding the headwear license for the Mexican Pacific League and the Mexican Baseball League (for two more years), New Era also manufactures the uniforms of Sultanes de Monterrey, Bravos de León, Tigres de Quintana Roo, Diablos Rojos del México , the Eagle of Veracruz and Pericos de Puebla.
What is required to manufacture the uniform of all the LMB teams, as is the case in North American leagues with brands such as Nike?
“Having a contract would be a very good thing for the entire league, for New Era and baseball, but there are other brands that make uniforms and we are very respectful of everything, especially local Mexican brands. It is something that we will have to talk about at the time, to date it has not been discussed. The natural thing has happened with organizations that want the same as New Era, which is to present something of the highest value and quality for the fans”, said David Pérez, General Manager of New Era Mexico, in the framework of the presentation of the uniforms of Red Devils. This will be the third year he wears New Era after last wearing El Siglo uniforms in 2019.
The director pointed out that to establish alliances of headwear and uniforms, they do not look at whether the team is from a large or small market or if it is a winner or not, but the main thing is that the teams are willing “to think outside the box, use different colors, different designs, whoever is willing to contribute that avant-garde”.
How is the presence of New Era in Latin America?
“In South America we have many local teams. The Yankees and Dodgers cap has grown enormously. We also have 29 stores in Latin America, from Mexico down, and we are going to end up with more than 50 this year. Without a doubt, the brand is in a very positive moment of growth”.
The brand is licensed by University of Chile Club, Catholic University and Spanish Union of the first division of Chilean soccer; of Gigantes de Cibao, Toros del Este and Tigres del Licey of the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic; of the Municipal Social and Sports Club, Communications and Antigua of the Guatemalan National Soccer League.
Just as in 2017 the brand extended its product line to clothing, it does not rule out an evolution towards new sports trends, such as the development of NFTs.
How much flexibility does New Era Mexico have in generating new products?
“We are talking with global companies, from our headquarters in Buffalo, New York, for a possible surprise of NFTs and that type of technology, of course we will be there.”