'47 (brand)

Last updated
'47
FormerlyTwins Enterprises, '47 Brand
Company type Private
Industry Apparel
Founded Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. (1947;77 years ago (1947))
FoundersHenry and Arthur D'Angelo
Headquarters
Westwood, Massachusetts
Key people
Dominic Farrell (president)
ProductsSports licensing, headwear, apparel
Parent New Era Cap Company
Website www.47brand.com

'47 is an American lifestyle brand that brings together sports, fashion, and cultural influences. It offers a wide range of licensed headwear, apparel and gear tailored for men, women, and children. The brand has been owned by New Era Cap Company since August 2024.

Contents

Founders

Company founders Arthur and Henry D'Angelo, were born in Orsogna, Italy in 1926 and arrived in the United States in 1938 at age 12 and soon began selling various items, including baseball pennants for two cents, and sold them near Fenway Park where the Boston Red Sox play. In 1947, the brothers acquired a street cart to increase their sales—that was the beginning of what became '47. The name '47 honors the heritage of the founding of the business. [1]

Fueled by their entrepreneurial spirit and love of baseball, the D'Angelos became the founding fathers of the sports licensed industry of today.[ according to whom? ] Arthur and Henry were well-known to the Red Sox, including players Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. When Williams joked that the brothers were profiting on his fame by selling gear with the team’s name and logo, Arthur reportedly replied with a laugh, “We’re making you famous!” [2]

In 1977, Arthur's oldest son, Robert, joined the business. [1] Over the next nine years, Arthur's three other sons—Mark, David, and Steven—joined as well. Henry D'Angelo died from cancer in 1987. [3]

On September 21, 2013, the Red Sox and then-mayor Thomas Menino honored Arthur D'Angelo by naming a street near Fenway Park after him: Arthur's Way. After the street dedication, the D'Angelo family and the Red Sox presented a check for $1,422,547 from ‘47 to Mayor Menino for The One Fund, which assists victims and family members affected by the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The Red Sox and '47 Brand partnered to create B Strong baseball caps and t-shirts, with proceeds benefiting The One Fund. [4]

Arthur D'Angelo died on February 29, 2024. The Boston Globe called him the "all-star" of Fenway Park souvenirs and apparel. [5]

History

Red Sox Team Store in 2012 Fenway Park (7186363614).jpg
Red Sox Team Store in 2012

In 1965, the D'Angelo brothers purchased a 2,000-square-foot (190 m2) retail space on Yawkey Way to sell Red Sox souvenirs. The company now owns and operates the Red Sox Team Store at 19 Jersey Street across from Fenway Park. [6] On game days, the store is open to ticketed patrons two hours before game time, throughout the game, and 30 minutes after the end of the game. The store operates daily. [7] The company headquarters is located in Westwood, Massachusetts. In addition, they have a 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) warehouse in Brockton, Massachusetts.

Their business, originally called Twins Enterprise, changed its name in 2010 to '47 Brand. In 2015, they dropped "Brand" from the name, although the company is still occasionally referred to by its former names in various publications. [8] [9] In 2011, '47 opened its first brick and mortar store on Newbury Street in Boston. That store closed in 2020.

In 2012, ‘47 expanded into football fanwear with a line of official National Football League (NFL) headwear. [10] In 2018, ‘47 partnered with Carhartt, a workwear brand, to create NFL headwear. [11]

In 2014, '47 became an official licensed on-field partner for four teams in the Cape Cod Baseball League. [12] In 2015, '47 expanded their portfolio with a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and Major League Soccer (MLS) partnership deal. [13] Also in 2015, the company acquired the rights to produce caps for Major League Baseball (MLB) on-field postseason celebrations and secured a license to create merchandise for Major League Baseball International (MLBI). [14] [15]

Further expansion across major sports included a partnership with Liverpool Football Club (Liverpool FC), in October 2015. At the time, Steven D’Angelo of ‘47 called the move “a natural next step for the brand, which has traditionally focused on U.S. sports leagues until now.” [16]

In 2016, the Georgia Bulldogs joined ‘47 in an exclusive headwear deal, and the same year, Cal State signed their own exclusive headwear deal. In 2020, ‘47 added the Ohio State Buckeyes to its licensing roster.

In 2017, ‘47 expanded its licensing arrangement with the National Basketball Association (NBA), with an agreement that covered then-current NBA team logos on adult apparel and men’s, women’s and youth headwear. The agreement also allowed ‘47 to create products for the NBA’s key events in the season, including NBA All-Star, NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals. [17]

Dominic Farrell joined ‘47 in 2021 as chief operating officer, a position he held for two years, before becoming president in 2023. He became the first non-family member to lead ‘47 in the company’s history. [18]

On June 23, 2023, ‘47 opened a pop-up store at 19 Air Street in London, coinciding with the June 2023 MLB London Series. John Gough, general manager of international for ‘47, called the pop-up “a bespoke store inspired by our rich American heritage.” [19]

In 2023, '47 added a partnership with NASCAR, the top U.S. motorsport. The agreement included offering a premium suite of products to the NASCAR fanbase. Farrell, president of ‘47, called the agreement a “perfect match” between the ‘47 heritage of creating best-in-class headwear and apparel and “the high expectations of the NASCAR fan.” [20]

In early June 2024, the president of '47 announced that they would be bought by New Era Cap Company. [21] In early August 2024, New Era completed the acquisition. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Red Sox</span> American Major League Baseball franchise in Massachusetts

The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. Founded in 1901 as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the team's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since 1912. The "Red Sox" name was chosen by the team owner, John I. Taylor, c. 1908, following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the "Boston Red Stockings", including the Boston Braves. The team has won nine World Series championships, tied for the third-most of any MLB team, and has played in 13 World Series. Their most recent World Series appearance and win was in 2018. In addition, they won the 1904 American League pennant, but were not able to defend their 1903 World Series championship when the New York Giants refused to participate in the 1904 World Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fenway Park</span> Baseball stadium in Boston, Massachusetts

Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, less than one mile from Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the ballpark of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Boston Red Sox. While the stadium was built in 1912, it was substantially rebuilt in 1934, and underwent major renovations and modifications in the 21st century. It is the oldest active ballpark in MLB. Because of its age and constrained location in Boston's dense Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood, the park has many quirky features, including "The Triangle", Pesky's Pole, and the Green Monster in left field. It is the fifth-smallest among MLB ballparks by seating capacity, second-smallest by total capacity, and one of nine that cannot accommodate at least 40,000 spectators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theo Epstein</span> American baseball executive

Theodore Nathaniel Epstein is an American Major League Baseball executive who is, since 2024, the senior adviser and part-owner of Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball and Liverpool FC of the English Premier League, among other properties. Epstein was the vice president and general manager for the Red Sox and then the president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs, working for each team for nine seasons. Following his tenure in Chicago, he joined MLB as a consultant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braves Field</span> American baseball park

Braves Field was a baseball park located in Boston, Massachusetts. Today the site is home to Nickerson Field on the campus of Boston University. The stadium was home of the Boston Braves of the National League from 1915 to 1952, prior to the Braves' move to Milwaukee in 1953. The stadium hosted the 1936 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and Braves home games during the 1948 World Series. The Boston Red Sox used Braves Field for their home games in the 1915 and 1916 World Series since the stadium had a larger seating capacity than Fenway Park. Braves Field was the site of Babe Ruth's final season, playing for the Braves in 1935. From 1929 to 1932, the Boston Red Sox played select regular season games periodically at Braves Field. On May 1, 1920, Braves Field hosted the longest major league baseball game in history: 26 innings, which eventually ended in a 1–1 tie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mel Parnell</span> American baseball player (1922-2012)

Melvin Lloyd Parnell was an American professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Boston Red Sox. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg), he threw and batted left-handed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame</span>

The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of selected former Boston Red Sox players, coaches and managers, and non-uniformed personnel. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the BoSox Club are responsible for nominating candidates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Era Cap Company</span> American headwear company

The New Era Cap Company is an American headwear company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. It was founded in 1920 by Ehrhardt Koch. New Era has over 500 different licenses in its portfolio. Since 1993, they have been the exclusive baseball cap supplier for Major League Baseball (MLB).

Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co. is an American sports-related clothing company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company was established in 1904 as a sports equipment manufacturer, remaining as the oldest sporting company in Philadelphia. After several years of making baseball and American football uniforms, the company switched direction in 1983, when it decided to recreate vintage jerseys.

Fenway Sports Management (FSM) is a global sports marketing firm that specializes in partnership sales, consulting, and the creation of unique and memorable events and experiences. FSM is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an office in New York City. Founded in 2004, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club, among other assets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Boston</span> Historically prominent sports teams

Boston, Massachusetts, is home to several major professional sports franchises. They include the Red Sox (baseball), the Celtics, and the Bruins. The New England Patriots and the New England Revolution play at Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough, Massachusetts. Boston is one of eleven U.S. cities to have teams from the five major American professional team sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1912 Boston Red Sox season</span> Major League Baseball season

The 1912 Boston Red Sox season was the 12th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. This was the first year that the team played its home games at Fenway Park. The Red Sox finished first in the American League (AL) with a record of 105 wins and 47 losses. The team set the franchise record for highest winning percentage (.691) in a season, which still stands; tied the franchise record for fewest losses in a season, originally set by the 1903 team; and set a franchise record for most wins, which was not surpassed until the 2018 club.

The 1932 Boston Red Sox season was the 32nd season in the franchise's Major League Baseball (MLB) history. The team's home field was Fenway Park. The Red Sox finished last in the eight-team American League (AL) with a record of 43 wins and 111 losses, 64 games behind the New York Yankees, who went on to win the 1932 World Series.

The 1986 Boston Red Sox season was the 86th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished first in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 66 losses. After defeating the California Angels in the ALCS, the Red Sox lost the World Series to the New York Mets in seven games.

Fenway Sports Group Holdings, LLC (FSG), is an American multinational sports holding conglomerate which owns Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, Premier League’s Liverpool, National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, NASCAR's RFK Racing, and TGL's Boston Common Golf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starter (clothing line)</span> American clothing manufacturer

Starter, Inc. is an American clothing manufacturer, focusing on major league sports teams. Starter's current licenses include MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL teams. Non-sports agreements include a partnership with Coca-Cola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Sale</span> American baseball player (born 1989)

Christopher Allen Sale is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. He bats and throws left-handed and is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) tall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Brasier</span> American baseball player (born 1987)

Ryan David Brasier is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), he both throws and bats right-handed.

Fanatics, Inc. is a global digital sports platform that consists of several businesses, including licensed sports merchandise, trading cards and collectibles, sports betting and iGaming, special events, and live commerce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Kennedy (baseball executive)</span> American baseball executive

Samuel H. Kennedy is an American professional baseball executive who is the president and chief executive officer of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB) and CEO of Fenway Sports Group (FSG).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williams Jerez</span> Dominican Republic baseball player

Williams Alexander Jerez is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Guerreros de Oaxaca of the Mexican League. He was a 2nd round selection in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates.

References

  1. 1 2 "The '47 Story". '47. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  2. ↑ Hagerty, James R. "Arthur D'Angelo, the 'Mayor of Fenway Park,' Dies at 97". WSJ. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  3. ↑ Borchers, Callum (30 October 2013). "Yawkey Way Store hitches its fate to Red Sox". The Boston Globe . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Red Sox celebrate street dedication of". MLB.com. 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  5. ↑ Marquard, Bryan. "Arthur D'Angelo, the all-star of Fenway souvenirs and apparel, dies at 97 - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  6. ↑ "19 Jersey Street - The Souvenir Store Across from Fenway Park". 19JerseyStreet.com. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  7. ↑ Grossfeld, Stan (August 3, 2006). "Hats off to him — D'Angelo wears his success in the souvenir business well". The Boston Globe . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ Lukas, Paul (September 27, 2012). "Uni-Watch Profiles: Craig Rodia". Uni-Watch.com. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Company Overview of '47 Brand Inc". Bloomberg Business . Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Twins Enterprise launches National Football League clothing line under its '47 Brand name". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  11. ↑ "Carhartt and '47 Announce New NFL Line | License Global". www.licenseglobal.com. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  12. ↑ "'47 Brand Partners with Cape Cod Baseball League". Business Wire . August 7, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  13. ↑ Thomas, Ian (January 20, 2015). "MLS, USSF To Announce New Licensing Deal With '47 Brand". Sports Business Daily . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  14. ↑ Brown, Maury (April 3, 2015). "MLB Properties Extends Agreements with New Era, Nike and 47 Brand till 2019". Forbes . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  15. ↑ Goodison, Donna (December 2, 2015). "Westwood co. '47 signs licensing deal with MLB". Boston Herald .
  16. ↑ "'47 Teams Up With Liverpool FC". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  17. ↑ "'47 Significantly Expands NBA Licensing Agreement With Refreshed Product Offerings And Amplified Team Relations". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  18. ↑ "Dominic Farrell". LinkedIn .[ better source needed ]
  19. ↑ Bottomley, Tom (2023-06-20). "'47 to open pop-up store in Soho as Major League Baseball comes to London". TheIndustry.fashion. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  20. ↑ "'47 Becomes Official Licensee of NASCAR Team Properties for Premium Headwear and Apparel". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  21. ↑ LLC, New Era Cap. "New Era to Acquire '47, Creating Premier Global Sport and Lifestyle Company". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  22. ↑ Singsit, Jangoulun (2024-08-09). "New Era closes acquisition of sports lifestyle brand '47". Retail Insight Network. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.