WINSTON-SALEM, NC (JANUARY 8, 2018)—Dyehard Fan Supply, an event and retail merchandise experience and e-commerce company formed and managed by Teall Sports & Entertainment, has acquired the assets and business of New York-based Sports Entertainment Events Merchandising (SEE Merchandising). The purchase of SEE Merchandising’s business marks Teall Sports & Entertainment’s second acquisition in recent weeks as part of the formation of Dyehard.
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 with Team Retail Solutions as its first acquisition. With the acquisitions of Team Retail Solutions, SEE Merchandising and anticipated additional investments, Dyehard will offer an expansive network of best-in-class merchandise companies that will offer the finest quality retail experience for fans and customers at sports, music and entertainment events.
Founded almost 30 years ago, SEE Merchandising has been unique in the marketplace in that it has catered to both sports and entertainment events. The company designs, manufactures, and retails souvenir merchandise for a broad range of live event, sports, and entertainment properties, including the US Open and USTA Jr. Team Tennis & League National Championships. SEE Merchandising is known for creating unique retail spaces and themed sales points while developing novel and innovative products for sale and promotional “giveaways.” Its leadership team has directed merchandising for more than 65 properties including the TCS New York City Marathon and Paul Simon’s Concert in Central Park; worked with licensed brands such as Garfield and Looney Tunes; and constructed retail stores from New York to Las Vegas.
SEE Merchandising has operated in hundreds of theatres across North America and venues as diverse as Lincoln Center, the Pacific National Expo in Vancouver Canada, and Yankee Stadium. The company’s experience in theatre ranges from blockbusters such as Phantom of the Opera to not-for-profits including The Roundabout Theatre. SEE Merchandising also is highly regarded for its robust, large volume e-commerce platform, which in part allows it to serve large, high-profile events, prolonging the sales cycle beyond sales at the event location itself.
Teall Sports & Entertainment Chairman Ben C. Sutton, Jr., widely respected as one of the most accomplished entrepreneurs and business leaders in the sports and entertainment industry, said the acquisition of SEE Merchandising is a major step forward as Dyehard establishes itself to dramatically improve the game and event day experience.
“SEE Merchandising brings an abundance of merchandising experience to Dyehard on national and international levels. The team at SEE Merchandising has a track record of first-hand experience working at hundreds of venues—and that’s something very few other companies can match,” Sutton said. “We’re incredibly pleased to have SEE Merchandising as part of the rapidly growing Dyehard family of companies from all over America.”
“Look for more Dyehard acquisitions in the coming weeks and months,” Sutton added. “The team at Teall Sports & Entertainment anticipates a rapid growth track as these best-in-class companies are integrated into a singular, highly competitive national platform that will offer an unparalleled retail experience, quality production capability and, above all, outstanding customer service. Dyehard Fan Supply will soon be recognized as the ‘go to’ partner for teams, artists, shows and events across the U.S.”
Rex Hough, formerly an executive on Sutton’s team at IMG College, serves CEO of Dyehard Fan Supply. “In short order, Teall’s acquisition of SEE Merchandising has already provided substantial insights and logistical resources that have improved the customer experience, as well as a network to fuel rapid expansion of our footprint,” Hough said. “In turn, SEE Merchandising brings its own highly collaborative work processes to Dyehard as we continue to roll out our collective services to sports teams, tournaments, bowl games, concerts and festivals, races, musical and theatrical productions.”
Hough said, “All of SEE Merchandising’s staff will come over to Dyehard. We look forward to working with an enormous talent in Jim Decker, founder of SEE, and the rest of his team.” In addition, SEE Merchandising’s expansive field of experienced contractors who work at events across America and in select international venues will be asked to become part of the Dyehard team, allowing for rapid scale-up of service to improve the experience for fans and manage merchandising at large events.
Among Dyehard’s first major events was executing a significant, long-term partnership renewal with Tough Mudder, one of the fastest-growing sports in America, along with signing a new partnership deal with the 2017 Music City Bowl in Nashville, in addition to a number of other sports programs and events.
During the latter part of 2017, Teall also announced the acquisition of millennial-centered agency Riddle & Bloom, a specialized “Ideas and Access” agency that helps its clients market to the growing demographic of Next Generation consumers, and Sunshine Beverages, a “better-for-you” energy beverage. Earlier this year, Teall announced the acquisition of a significant interest in Alabama-based Tailgate Guys, which provides turnkey hospitality packages to fans. Since Teall invested in Tailgate Guys, that company has experienced meteoric growth, nearly quadrupling in size and expecting to more than double in size again by fall 2018.
Sutton founded ISP Sports in Winston-Salem in 1992. After rapidly becoming the market leader in collegiate sports marketing, broadcast, publishing, sponsorship services, ticketing and stadium seating, ISP Sports merged into IMG College in 2010. Sutton, who became chairman and CEO of IMG College in 2010 and had served as chairman emeritus since September 2015, left IMG College late last year to focus his efforts on Teall Sports & Entertainment.
About Ben C. Sutton, Jr.
The founder of ISP Sports and former Chairman and President of IMG College, Ben Sutton was recently inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and is a member of the boards of the United States Olympic Committee, Ronald Reagan Presidential, National Football and Naismith Basketball foundations. He also serves as a director with the Wyndham PGA Championship, the Falk School of Sports Management at Syracuse University and at his alma mater Wake Forest University. Sutton has received numerous awards including the Wake Forest University Distinguished Alumni Award, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine (highest civilian honor in North Carolina), induction into the NACMA hall of fame, as well as being named one of the top or most powerful sports executives in America by numerous publications.
About Teall Sports & Entertainment
Teall Sports & Entertainment is a privately-held set of investments in innovative, high growth potential lifestyle brands and services. The company’s leadership has extensive experience in sports, media, marketing and entertainment, and the group provides its operating companies deep expertise in a number of disciplines: corporate strategy, organizational management, culture and training, financial strategy, employee operations, recruiting and expert legal diligence.
Teall Sports & Entertainment is led by Ben C. Sutton, Jr. and an executive management team that built and expanded four national market-leading businesses in the college sports space: IMG College Media, IMG Seating, IMG College Licensing and IMG Ticketing. Teall invests in complementary organizations that can strategically work together to realize greater value, sharing in expertise, thought leadership and networks.
For more information, please visit TeallCapital.com.