The National Thoroughbred League is set to announce a partnership with Sticker Mule, which will see the e-commerce site host the online store for the league and its teams. A formal announcement is expected Aug. 27.
By having its own Sticker Mule Store, the NTL will be able to manage expenses associated with selling merchandise. Sticker Mule will operate the site and all orders will be custom-made rather than sold from inventory.
Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino said part of the appeal of collaborating with the NTL is that Thoroughbred racing is a “historically significant sport.”
“The last two months we’ve focused on a bigger mission, which is helping people sell,” he said. “We launched the Stores platform, we’ve got 8,000 creators on the platform.”
Merchandise ranging from T-shirts, hats stickers, buttons, and more can be ordered directly through the league’s Sticker Mule Shop. Fans will be able to order league-branded items as well as its six current teams and the four expansion franchises, which were announced Aug. 26.
NTL co-founder Bob Daugherty raved about the appeal of Sticker Mule helping the young league, which launched in 2023, keep its costs down.
“This enables us to be flexible and channel our budget into delivering an unprecedented experience to our growing fanbase. We look forward to the endless possibilities of products our league and its teams can design.”
The relationship goes beyond merchandise, as Sticker Mule will sponsor a race at the league’s opening event, The Nashville Cup, held Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at Kentucky Downs, the $500,000 Sticker Mule Handicap. The three-day event features a total purse of $2 million.
In addition to the California Shamrocks, New York Knights, Philadelphia Stallions, Nashville Dreams, Seattle Gems, and the New Jersey Degens, the league added the Maryland Colts, San Francisco Unicorns, Phoenix Mustangs, and Miami Sea Horses.
As part of the expansion announcement Monday, the league said that two-time National Football League MVP and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will be a lead owner for the Maryland Colts.
Sticker Mule said it would like to expand its presence in sports.
“Now we got a Stores platform, and we’re in the world of helping people and giving back,” Constantino said. “We want to work with more people in the sports world and in horse racing, college sports, whatever the case may be. Our Stores platform is a little bit different in that it’s integrated into our platform.”
