MEET PHENOM ELITE

Phenom isn’t your average sports equipment brand. It’s built for the next generation of athletes. 

In 2013, CEO and Founder Nathan Dorton was a walk-on wide receiver at Appalachian State University who refused to settle for the gear he was given. With a $65 loan from his dad, he tore apart the process behind football gloves and rebuilt it better. That same relentless, walk-on mentality still drives Phenom today.

Fast forward to now: Phenom Elite has grown from a one-man hustle to a national brand — a manufacturer, retailer, and disruptor that’s rewriting the rules of performance gear. Along the way, we’ve teamed up with NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss, inked licensing deals with Warner Media (DC Comics, Scooby-Doo, Rick and Morty) and Nickelodeon (SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and landed in major retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Scheels, Dunham’s, and more.

What started as a $65 loan from his dad has turned into a full-service operation — controlling every detail from first sketch to final snap — and putting Phenom on the field with athletes at every level.

We’re not here to blend in. We’re here to stand out.

OUR WHY

Phenom Elite® (“Phenom” for short) is a mission-based company with one focus:

Design gear that performs at the highest level while disrupting everything the sporting goods industry thought it knew.

Disrupt [dis·rupt]: to cause radical change by innovation.

That’s what we do. We take gear from utility to statement. From ordinary to unforgettable. From just another piece of equipment to a badge of who you are under the lights.

Every product — cleats, gloves, apparel, uniforms, or protective gear — is built for performance first. But it’s also built to rep your team, your grind, your identity. Partnerships aren’t an afterthought; they’re our lifeblood. We customize, we innovate, and we deliver so every athlete — from small-town Friday nights to national stages — has the chance to look good, feel unstoppable, and play phenomenal.

Phenom isn’t just a brand. It’s who you become.

WHERE WE’VE BEEN.

• 2013 - Phenom Elite® was founded.
• 2015 - Phenom secured its first major Division 1 football team glove deal with the University of Southern Mississippi.
• 2016 - Phenom became members of the Sports Inc Buying Group which includes over 500 team dealer stores nationwide.
• 2017 - Announced a collaboration with NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Randy Moss in which we produced a signature line of 'Randy Moss: Straight Touchdown Homie' receiver gloves.
• 2018 - Became one of the first non-major apparel brands to launch American football cleats in recent history.
• 2019 - Became the Official Uniform and On-Field Apparel Provider for the Arena Football League. This marks Phenom's first major league sponsorship deal.
• 2020 - Signed a licensing deal with Warner Media to produce gloves, cleats, and mouth guards featuring DC Comics characters and other licensable Warner Media properties.
• 2021 - Officially launched the Phenom Universe collection which includes the DC Comics characters The Batman, Superman, The Flash, and The Joker.
• 2022 - Phenom signed another DTC licensing deal with Activision, that grants the rights to produce gloves, cleats, mouth guards, and sports accessories, all themed around the breakout gaming sensation ‘Call of Duty’.
• 2023 - During the Summer of 2023, Phenom made a remarkable debut by introducing an exciting collaboration with SEGA, featuring officially licensed Sonic the Hedgehog characters showcased on a range of high-quality products including gloves, cleats, and mouthguards.
• 2024 - In 2024, Phenom achieved a significant milestone by securing in-store placements with Dick's Sporting Goods and Scheels, marking its first major retail partnerships in brick-and-mortar locations. Phenom also launched an exciting collaboration with Kool-Aid in March 2024. This unique partnership introduced a striking collection of gloves, cleats, and compression wear, making a bold impact in the world of sports apparel.
• 2025 – Nickelodeon Joins the Phenom Lineup. Phenom leveled up its licensing game in 2025 with the launch of the Nickelodeon Collection, featuring SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These iconic characters collided with Phenom’s edge to create performance gear that speaks to athletes on and off the field. From gloves to cleats to accessories, the collection brought bold colors, playful grit, and a whole new wave of fans into the Phenom family.

WHERE WE ARE.

• BALTIMORE SUN https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-baltimore-brigade-afl-new-uniforms-20190408-story.html
• NBC NEWS https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/other-sports/arena-football-league-debuted-new-jerseys-part-changes-league-making
• FNF COACHES https://fnfcoaches.com/inventor-spotlight-phenom-elite-is-ready-to-partner-with-your-team/
• WIS NEWS https://www.wistv.com/2019/04/18/columbia-father-son-duo-take-their-sports-apparel-company-professional-football

WHERE TO FIND PHENOM?

We are more than just a sports equipment brand and online retailer, we are a family.

We connect with our Phenom family in a way that competitors will never understand. We live and breathe #Phenom -- its our DNA.

Join our growing community of thousands of supporters across our socials.

Follow us on Instagram @PhenomElite, on X.com @phenomelite and Facebook @PhenomEliteFootball to engage, interact, and get involved with our family.

OUR TEAM

Nathan Dorton - CEO & Founder - nathandorton@phenomelite.com

Ray Dietrich - CMO - raydietrich@phenomelite.com

Ed Trussell - CFO - edtrussell@phenomelite.com

Lindsay Connor - COO - lindsay@phenomelite.com

Charlene Abando - Accounting - accounting@phenomelite.com

Customer Service - customerservice@phenomelite.com

Team Sales - team@phenomelite.com