New Era Cap Company
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. |
| File:New Era logo.JPG | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Apparel |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Headquarters | Buffalo, NY, USA |
Key people | Chris Koch, CEO |
| Products | Headwear |
| Revenue | $100-$500 million (2003 est.)[1] |
| Unknown (private) | |
| Unknown (private) | |
Number of employees | 1,500 |
| Website | neweracap.com |
The New Era Cap Company, based in Buffalo, is the largest sports-licensed headwear company in the United States. The company is the premier cap provider for MLB, as well as a number of NBA and NHL franchises, plus a handful of major collegiate athletic programs. Its premier ballcap is known as the "59-Fifty", a structured, fitted, 100% polyester cap, which is worn by Major League Baseball players and umpires during competition.
New Era caps are mostly sold and distributed through large retail chain operations, but the company also contracts with independent retailers who wish to carry their product lines. The company's first flagship store is located in Buffalo, NY. In May 2006, the company opened a wholly owned and operated Flagship Store in New York City. In June 2007, a third flagship store was opened in London, which is said to offer the largest selection of New Era headwear in the world. On August 3rd, the Toronto store on Queen Street West opened. [2]
Although New Era offers a range of "59-Fifty" caps, their most prominent and recognizable cap is modeled with a flat cap bill. This is the style most popular with urban consumers, who have adopted the style from its prominence in rap & hip-hop culture.
The brand recognition of New Era and the "59-Fifty" has resulted in the cap becoming a popular fashion element, particularly reflected in urban & hip-hop culture. The most common and popular cap is the New York Yankees 59FIFTY Flat bill cap. Popularized by rap artists, athletes and other prominent cultural figures, the caps have become a staple of urban fashion. Individuals select and wear the caps as a testament to what sports teams they like, where they hail from, or because of fashion elements in the cap design. Conscious of the fashion status of the "59-Fifty", New Era has taken care to produce MLB team caps in a wide range of styles and a large assortment of colors, including popular colors that have no traditional team association. Also to drive this demand, New Era now releases designs and styles to correspond with the release of seasonal fashion lines.
New material
Starting in late March 2007, New Era will break from tradition and switch to a 100% polyester fabric for the on-field Major League Baseball 59-Fifty series hats. This new material will replace the previously used 100% wool fabric. New Era also will introduce a black undervisor, black sweatband, and a raised MLB logo.[3]
Company move
On November 21, 2006, New Era moved its headquarters from the Buffalo suburb of Derby in the town of Evans to its new, renovated home in the former Federal Reserve Building in downtown Buffalo. At a press conference, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced that the date will also be marked as "New Era Day" in Buffalo.
External link
References
4. http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2007/07/23/daily29.html?jst=cn_cn_lk