HOMAGE, a vintage-inspired sports, and licensed apparel brand announced the closing of its latest growth capital round. And after being kicked off with an initial investment from Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort, several prominent figures and organizations joined the round, including Winnie Capital (led by NFL star Jason Kelce), More Better (led by Emmy-winning creator, actor, and entrepreneur Rob McElhenney), Adam Hansmann (co-founder of The Athletic), Haslam Sports Group (owners of the Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew, and shared controlling owners of the Milwaukee Bucks), 35Ventures (headed by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman) and Wheelhouse 360. Adding this notable group of investors will strengthen HOMAGE’s foothold in the sports, media, and entertainment industries.
HOMAGE plans to use this funding to expand production capabilities, grow its operating team, and strengthen its technology and marketing infrastructure. And the brand also aims to scale its partnerships within the licensed product industry, where it already boasts collaborations with the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, and other major pop culture entities.
These new investors in this round are bringing capital and they are contributing to HOMAGE’s future in tangible ways, from content creation to strategic advisory roles. For example, Jason Kelce’s investment builds on a long-standing relationship with HOMAGE that includes projects such as serving as the merchandise partners for the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast, and creating unique collections that support Jason’s charitable efforts, including A Philly Special Christmas Special and Jason Kelce Pay HOMAGE retirement t-shirt.
35Ventures and its connections in the sports industry – along with Haslam Sports Group’s influence across multiple sports properties – will open new doors for HOMAGE as it continues to grow its brand visibility and engage a wider audience.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re thrilled to have attracted this incredible group of investors. At HOMAGE, we’ve always been focused on helping our customers ‘pay homage’ to the people, places, and moments that mean the most to them. We look forward to growing the HOMAGE brand even further by tapping into our new investors’ strong cultural networks and unique strategic assets.”
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such dynamic individuals and companies in this exciting next chapter for HOMAGE. We’re looking forward to the creativity, strategic insight, and energy they’ll bring to the brand, helping us grow in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago.”
-Ryan Vesler, Founder and CEO of HOMAGE
“I’ve been a fan of HOMAGE from the start because their designs bring back so many memories—from the things I grew up doing to the teams I’ve always rooted for. There’s a real sense of nostalgia in everything they do, and it resonates with me.”
-Jason Kelce
