LOUISVILLE, KY (MAY 15, 2018)— WinStar Farm, the owners of 2018 Kentucky Derby winner Justify have selected Dyehard Fan Supply, an event and retail merchandise marketing and e-commerce company, as merchandiser for the prized horse. Dyehard will handle merchandise for Justify beginning immediately and will have merchandise on site at the Pimlico Race Course for the horse’s highly anticipated competition at the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore on May 19.
The three-year-old Justify is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2018 Kentucky Derby, becoming the first horse since 1882 to win that race without racing as a two-year-old. He first attracted attention with an impressive win in his first start earlier this year at the Santa Anita Derby.
In addition to this new partnership, Dyehard Fan Supply has also handled event merchandising for several highly regarded equestrian events including the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, Kentucky Derby wholesale, the Preakness Stakes and the Pegasus World Cup. The Tryon International Equestrian Center subsequently selected Dyehard Fan Supply as the official merchandiser for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG), which will take place in Mill Spring, NC September 11–23.
Dyehard is no stranger to the merchandise business with a long history of handling merchandise programs for many of America’s most notable sporting events and organizations, including Olympic Games, NBA finals, World Series, Davis Cup tennis, MLB All-Star Games, America’s Cup, the U.S. Open, the USTA Jr. Team Tennis & League National Championships, the TCS New York City Marathon, and numerous professional and college football championships and bowls. In 2017, Dyehard executed new partnership deals with the Music City Bowl in Nashville, and a significant, long-term partnership with Tough Mudder, one of the fastest-growing athletic competitions in America. Dyehard has also handled merchandising for several Broadway shows and concerts.
“Dyehard Fan Supply is thrilled to have WinStar Farm and Justify join our stable of clients. We have quickly geared up to get merchandise to fans as Justify races towards history,” Dyehard Executive Vice President Ben Erps said.
Teall Sports & Entertainment, a private equity company based in Winston-Salem, NC; Atlanta, GA; and San Francisco, CA created Dyehard Fan Supply in late 2017 after acquiring several companies offering an expansive national network of best-in-class merchandise capabilities. Teall anticipates additional future investments that will contribute to the top-quality retail experience for fans and customers.
About Teall Sports & Entertainment
Teall Sports & Entertainment is a privately-held set of investments in innovative, high-growth-potential lifestyle brands and services. Teall invests in complementary organizations that collaborate to share thought leadership and leverage individual networks to realize greater value.
Led by Founder and Chairman Ben C. Sutton, Jr., the Teall Sports & Entertainment management team includes several of the top executives that built and expanded four national market-leading businesses into a nearly billion-dollar enterprise in the college sports space: IMG College Media, IMG Seating, IMG College Licensing, and IMG Ticketing. Teall Sports & Entertainment leadership provides operating companies with access to expertise in corporate strategy, organizational management, culture and training, financial strategy, employee operations, recruiting, and legal diligence. Visit TeallCapital.com for more information.
About Dyehard Fan Supply
Dyehard Fan Supply is an event and retail merchandise, marketing, and e-commerce company. An international company focusing on superior customer service, Dyehard leverages an expansive network of best-in-class companies to produce top quality merchandise for college and professional sports, tennis and golf tournaments, bowl games, concerts, festivals, races, and Broadway musicals. Visit dyehardfansupply.com for more information.