Inside the Lab: The Power of Licensed Football Gear

In modern sports, gear is more than just performance equipment—it’s a statement of identity. Athletes want gear that not only gives them an edge on the field but also connects with their personality and passions. That’s where licensed football gear comes in. At Phenom Elite, licensing has been a cornerstone of innovation, allowing us to merge performance engineering with storytelling in a way few brands can match.

Phenom Elite’s Licensing Journey

From the start, Phenom Elite has worked to bring licensing into categories where it rarely existed before: cleats, gloves, mouthguards, and back plates. Our partnerships have spanned:

• Warner Bros. – DC Comics superheroes and villains like Joker, Batman, and The Flash. As well as cartoon properties like Rick & Morty, Scooby-Doo, Tom and Jerry and The Flintstones. 

• Activision – Call of Duty-inspired drops.

• SEGA – Sonic the Hedgehog, tying speed culture to footwear performance.

• Kraft – Kool-Aid collaborations that blended fun and performance.

• Nickelodeon – Spongebob and Ninja Turtles! 

This expansion positioned Phenom Elite as one of the only independent performance brands consistently bringing licensed innovation into football.

Balancing Performance with Design

Licensed products aren’t just about putting a character logo on equipment. Every cleat, glove, or mouthguard has to perform at the same level as our core lineup.

The challenges we solve with every licensed release:

• Performance First: Cleats still need lightweight uppers, responsive traction plates, and reinforced padding. Gloves must grip at the legal limit with Vapor-Stick technology and SFIA certification.

• Design Integration: Translating Joker’s purple and green chaos or Sonic’s speed aesthetic into materials that breathe, flex, and grip is a unique challenge.

• Compliance: All licensed gear must meet league regulations for safety and grip standards, while also satisfying licensor brand guidelines.

The result is gear that performs at the highest level without sacrificing the integrity of the licensed character.

Why Licensed Gear Resonates with Athletes

For athletes, licensed gear isn’t just performance—it’s culture. Every design decision at Phenom Elite starts with our athlete first vision: creating products that enhance performance while also giving players the freedom to express themselves.

• Identity & Expression: Wearing Joker gloves or SpongeBob cleats is more than just style—it’s a way to stand out under the lights while staying locked into performance.

• Crossover Appeal: Licensing bridges sports, pop culture, and nostalgia, connecting athletes to characters they’ve grown up with while keeping their gear technically elite.

• Collectibility: Limited licensed drops often become keepsakes, valued long after the season ends, adding long-term meaning to what an athlete wears on the field.

Licensed collaborations align perfectly with our philosophy: gear built for athletes first, enriched with stories that reflect who they are.

Highlight: Phenom’s Top Licensed Drops

Over the years, several collaborations have defined the space:

• The Joker – bold, unpredictable, and instantly recognizable.

• Sonic – speed personified, tying gaming culture directly to performance footwear.

• Scooby-Doo – blending nostalgia with elite-level traction and grip technology.

• Spongebob Squarepants – playful designs that still perform under pressure.

Each of these products demonstrates how licensing can expand beyond aesthetics into a complete athlete experience.

The Future of Licensed Performance Gear

Looking ahead, Phenom will continue to expand licensing into new collections across cleats, gloves, backplates, and accessories. The goal remains the same: to blend storytelling, technical innovation, and athlete culture into gear that performs on the field and resonates off it.

Licensing is not just about branding—it’s about creating products that athletes are proud to wear because they reflect both who they are and how they play.

Explore the latest drops in our Licensed Gear Collection and see how culture meets performance.