Football (U.S. soccer) is the world's most
popular sport, and fandom has grown 60% in the U.S. over the past
decade.
The iconic football shirt connects people to
the sport's unique culture, from fans to fashion enthusiasts and
celebrity influencers globally.
With the largest collection of new and
hard-to-find authentic football shirts available for sale in the
world, and millions of items shipped across more than 100
countries, Classic Football Shirts is the category leader.
MANCHESTER, England and LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Classic Football Shirts, the global hub to buy
authentic football shirts, and The Chernin Group ("TCG"), a
multi-stage investment firm known for building and growing consumer
businesses, today announced an investment from TCG that will fuel
aggressive and immediate global expansion plans. Concentrating on
North America, one of the brand's
fastest-growing markets that represents just 15 percent of the
overall business today, TCG's investment underscores the
significant market opportunity tied to the rising global interest
in football culture.
There are 3.5 billion global football fans in the world and
fandom is up 60% in the U.S. over the last decade as major European
domestic leagues are aired on U.S. TV networks, shows like
Ted Lasso and Welcome to Wrexham
have streamed into family rooms, fashion designers have given a nod
to football style in collections, and celebrity superstars have
been photographed wearing the football shirts. With the expansion
of the MLS, success of NWSL and major global football events like
the 2024 Copa America, 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, 2026 FIFA World
Cup and the 2028 Olympics, fandom is only expected to grow even
more over the next 10 years. As the game's domestic fan base
continues to rise, so has consumer demand for football commerce and
apparel.
"Each football shirt tells a unique story and represents the
history, culture, style – and the nostalgia of the game," said
Classic Football Shirts founder and CEO, Doug Bierton. "It's a passion and obsession for
the sport, from our team and our customers, that built the business
to where it is today. It's exciting to think about how we'll
connect with millions more around the world over a shared love of
football."
Founded in 2006 in Manchester,
UK by Doug Bierton and
Matthew Dale – and later joined by
co-founder Gary Bierton, Classic
Football Shirts has thrived as a self-funded, fast-growing
enterprise that's been profitable since its inception. The company
boasts a staggering collection of rare vintage, match-worn, and
current season styles that cater to a diverse community of football
aficionados, collectors, and streetwear enthusiasts worldwide. It
has a thriving community both on and offline, with stores in
London and Manchester, UK, millions of social followers,
and customers in over 100 countries. They have classic football
shirts listed from thousands of clubs, countries and players, and
over 6,700 unique or match-worn shirts housed in 'The Vault', a
climate-controlled storage area for special pieces that are not yet
available to the public.
"The Classic Football Shirts team has built an incredible
business," said TCG partner, Greg
Bettinelli, an early investor in popular consumer
marketplaces, including GOAT and thredUP while at his previous
firm, Upfront Ventures. "They have an incredible selection of
football shirts for fans all over the world, unparalleled industry
knowledge and a true passion for the sport. Everyone who comes to
Classic Football Shirts knows they will find their favorite club,
country or player and trusts that the shirt they buy will be 100%
authentic, which is why so many come back again and again. We are
looking forward to working with Doug, Matt, Gary and the rest of
the team to build on their success through the expansion of its
audience, assortment and new geographies."
TCG invested $38.5M of growth
equity capital into Classic Football Shirts and is the only major
outside investor. With this investment, Classic Football Shirts
will continue on its path to being the global destination for
authentic football shirts and cultivate a community of fans and
fashion enthusiasts through a shared love of the unique shirts.
In addition, Cormac Barry, a
senior executive with over 25 years' experience in online B2C,
online B2B and retail across multiple sectors including sports and
travel, has joined Classic Football Shirts as Executive
Chairman.
Coinciding with this announcement today is the opening of
Classic Football Shirts' latest retail experience in New York City. The store at 323 Canal Street
offers enthusiasts a glimpse into football's rich heritage through
a curated collection of both classic and current shirt styles. The
event precedes the forthcoming launch of permanent stores in
New York and Los Angeles later this year. For further
details, visit www.classicfootballshirts.co.uk.
About Classic Football Shirts
Classic Football Shirts is the global hub to buy authentic
football shirts. The company was founded in 2006 in Manchester, UK by Doug
Bierton and Matthew Dale –
and later joined by Gary Bierton,
who share a love of the sport and its culture. Classic Football
Shirts has the largest collection of authentic football shirts in
the world, from timeless classics to elusive vintage finds and some
of the game's most iconic shirts. A dedication to curation and
authentication, deep knowledge of the history, and a genuine
passion for the sport has been the driving force behind Classic
Football Shirts' success and rapidly growing global customer base.
Explore the extensive collection of football shirts and join the
community of fans and enthusiasts at
www.classicfootballshirts.co.uk.
About TCG
Founded by Peter Chernin,
Jesse Jacobs, and Mike Kerns, The Chernin Group (TCG) is a
multi-stage investment firm dedicated to building enduring consumer
businesses. TCG partners with exceptional management teams to grow
market-leading businesses in categories of consumer passion such as
sports, commerce, gaming, and health and wellness. The firm
leverages decades of operating experience and deep connectivity to
the media and technology ecosystem in service of its portfolio
companies. Investments have included Action Network, Barstool
Sports, Cars & Bids, Collectors, Crunchyroll, Epic Gardening,
Meateater, Oura, Premier Lacrosse League, Scopely and Unrivaled
Sports. Learn more at https://tcg.co/.
Note for editors:
Press kit with images can be found here.
Contact:
marketing@classicfootballshirts.co.uk
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SOURCE Classic Football Shirts