U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), announces the brand’s nomination as a finalist for the prestigious 2022 Licensing International Excellence Awards for Best Sport Licensed Brand. The Licensing International Excellence Awards honor the way brands use licensing in innovative and creative methods to further their goals, products, and marketing around the globe.
Winners in 25 categories were selected by an expert global judging panel and voted on by members of the licensing industry at large from 165 finalists around the world. With more than 800 entries received, U.S. Polo Assn. was recognized as a finalist in Best Sport Licensed Brand category.
The multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand’s authentic connection to the sport of polo has been enhanced more than ever before by a year of outstanding storytelling, partnerships, sponsorships, and philanthropic endeavors. The nomination acknowledged U.S. Polo Assn.’s growth and achievements, attributed to the brand’s nearly $2 billion in global retail sales and distribution across 190 countries through 1,200 U.S. Polo Assn. stores as well as third-party retailers and e-commerce in 2021. Additional achievements include the expansion of the brand’s global online presence, activating more than 36 websites translated into 18 different languages, as well as a global partnership with ESPN to air the top polo games in the world, including the FIP World Polo Championships in October 2022.
Stiff competition with U.S. Polo Assn. for the Best Sport Licensed Brand included notable brands, such as Formula 1, Football Greats Alliance, The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), Tokyodachi, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE), and Yale University. In this extremely competitive category, Formula 1 was named the winner.
“On behalf of our global team and our licensing and retail partners around the world, we are honored that U.S. Polo Assn. was nominated for the Best Sport Licensed Brand,” says J. Michael Prince, CEO & President of USPA Global Licensing, the company that oversees the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. “We are proud to be recognized alongside other industry-leading licensees, and we will continue to build on our long-term growth strategy to bring our authentic, sport-inspired lifestyle brand to consumers around the world.”
Prince also sends his congratulations to Formula 1 for their performance this year and their win.
Attending the event this year, on behalf of U.S. Polo Assn., was Molly Robbins, SVP of Global Licensing & Business Development for the U.S. Polo Assn. brand.
“Despite retail industry and supply chain challenges amid the global pandemic, the U.S. Polo Assn. lifestyle brand has continued to grow through product innovation, marketing, digital and public relations initiatives,” added Robbins.
The Excellence Awards were held at The LIGHT Vegas Nightclub on May 23, 2022, and hosted by George Leon, CEO and Founder of Cakewalk Entertainment. The ceremony was held in person for the first time in two years in Las Vegas, Nevada, to celebrate the best of the global licensing industry.
