Leading NYC Licensing & Branding Agency to develop
merchandising program for top personality in the multi-billion dollar
fantasy sports marketplace
New York City (June 16, 2016) – The Wildflower Group, an award-winning licensing and
branding agency, has been selected by Matthew Berry, the most recognizable face in Fantasy
Sports, to spearhead the development of his brand, Fantasy Life. The agency is developing a
wide-ranging licensing and branding program for the brand and creating, for the first time, a
robust merchandise experience to complement the multi-billion dollar fantasy sports industry.
More than 55 million people across the US and Canada play fantasy sports annually
and spend billions on good and services related to fantasy sports.
Having played a major role in
the promotion of fantasy sports since the beginning, Berry is now the Senior Fantasy Sports
Analyst on ESPN, with more than 26 million podcast downloads and more than 66 million
page views for his content on ESPN.com in 2015. Appearing regularly on ESPN’s most
popular shows, he is an Emmy winner for his work on ESPN2’s Fantasy Football Now, the
highest rated non-live event programming on the channel during the Fall.
“As the fantasy sports marketplace continues to explode, so does Matthew’s influence on it,”
said Michael Carlisle, Principal, The Wildflower Group. “We are delighted to be working
alongside Matthew as we develop his brand, Fantasy Life, into a suite of product offerings
within this massive space.”
“One of the things that has been most important to me throughout my career has been
promoting fantasy sports and the amazing people that play it,” said Matthew Berry. “The
camaraderie, the trash talk, the trophies, the punishments, the spirit, the sense of community
and mostly the fun it brings to people of all ages from all walks of life. If you are a fan of a
sports team, there are millions of products you can buy to show your support. If you are a fan
of a particular professional athlete, there are millions of products you can buy to show your
support. But if you are a fantasy sports player, there is nothing you can buy to show your
support and fandom. I love how #fantasylife has taken on a life of its own since the
publication of the book, so I’m very excited to partner with The Wildflower Group and use
their creative expertise to bring a variety of offerings to the very large and under served
fantasy audience.”
Following the success of his 2013 New York Times bestseller, “Fantasy Life”, The Wildflower
Group will build licensing programs for the Fantasy Life brand that will allow fantasy sports
players the opportunity to bring their teams, the spirit of competition, the smack talk, and the
camaraderie of Fantasy Football to life. Initially the programs will focus on apparel and
accessories, but the brand will soon extend into houseware items, food and beverage
products, and promotions and co-branding opportunities.
About Matthew Berry
Universally regarded as the most recognizable face in the fast growing multi-billion dollar
Fantasy Football Industry, Matthew Berry, aka “The Talented Mr. Roto,” is the Senior Fantasy
Sports Analyst for ESPN. Named the 2013 Marketer of the Year by the Academy of Marketing
Science for his role in fueling the growth of fantasy football, Berry is one of the most popular
columnists on ESPN.com, with over 66 million page views in 2015. His daily, award winning
“Fantasy Focus” podcast had over 27 million downloads during the 2015 football, and he has
over 1.1 million highly engaged social media followers.
His first book, Fantasy Life, was released by Riverhead/Penguin Books in July of 2013 and
debuted at number five on the New York Times Best Seller list, spending two months on the
list. The book is currently being developed as a sitcom for Fox and the Fantasy Life app based
on the book was a top 30 free sports app on iTunes in 2015.
About The Wildflower Group
The Wildflower Group (TWG) is an award-winning, full-service licensing agency delivering
best-in-class product extensions for the brands it represents. Formed in January 2001, TWG is
headed by licensing industry veteran, Michael Carlisle, and provides comprehensive licensing
services to both brand owners and manufacturers, including strategic planning, licensing sales
and marketing, creative development, legal and finance support. TWG’s current client
portfolio includes Girl Scouts of the USA, Rodale, Campari America, Rapala, The New York
Times, Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life, and Bombay.
More at www.thewildflowergroup.com.