Score another big win for oversized headwear maker Noggin Boss.
The Phoenix-based company has become a new licensee of NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports and recently started selling an HMS collection of its cartoonishly large hats for $125 apiece.
The deal was announced on April 28, but Hendrick driver William Byron has worn one of the hats with his sponsors' logo on it when he won Cup Series races earlier this season at Las Vegas and Phoenix. Noggin Boss first went viral last November when Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. wore one while getting interviewed by media in the locker room after an NFL game.
JR Motorsports previously ran HMS’ licensing but HMS brought those rights back in house this season.
“It’s been absolutely incredible to be an official licensee of Hendrick Motorsports. They’re winning races and are in contention for another championship,” said Gabe Cooper, Noggin Boss co-founder, in a statement. “Noggin Boss is now trending across all sports and attracting celebrities and musical artists. The racing adage of ‘Win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ has never been more accurate.”
Since appearing on season 13 of ABC’s "Shark Tank" and landing a $50,000 investment deal with Daymond John for a 30% stake in Noggin Boss in 2022, the company's products picked up momentum.
After Robinson sported the hat in the Commanders' locker room, the company’s hats were also spotted on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt and University of Georgia football players following their SEC championship win last December.
Noggin Boss has been “working around the clock” to keep up with demand for its products as dozens of sports teams, businesses and nonprofits have reached out to the company requesting hats, co-founder Gabe Cooper told AZ Inno earlier this year.
“We’ve been selling direct to teams or leagues who have used (the hats) for promotional purposes,” Cooper said. “It’s fun to see."
Noggin Boss is based out of Grand Canyon University’s business accelerator, Canyon Venture Center, where it employs 20 students.
The Phoenix Business Journal contributed to this article, which originally was published by the Sports Business Journal.
