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An Indianapolis-based retail merchandising company on Monday announced a deal with the owner and manager of a dozen NASCAR racetracks to sell a fresh line of promotional gear at each venue and online.
MainGate Inc. on Monday said it has reached a multiyear deal with the International Speedway Corp. for exclusive rights to online and track-side merchandise sales at each of the ISC's facilities.
MainGate will provide branded merchandise for permanent shops at each venue, as well as walk-up trailers, walk-in tents, pop-up kiosks and—by next June—an online shopping portal, according to the company. The firm declined to share financial details of the contract, but said it is expected to run several years.
The ISC operates many of the county's most famous racetracks: Daytona International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida; Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway; Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern California; Kansas Speedway; ISM Raceway near Phoenix; Chicagoland Speedway; Darlington Raceway in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International in New York.
The agreement is effective immediately, with the first event under the new partnership being the Rolex 24 at Daytona, running Jan. 26-27. MainGate is expected to staff and operate the raceway’s store, the Pit Shop.
“From the dynamic design on each and every product to the fan-focused shopping experience, all of our efforts will place the spotlight on the race fan,” Maingate CEO David Moroknek in written comments. “We have begun developing strategies that will allow race fans, beginning in Daytona, to have the shopping experience they have come to know and appreciate.”
The deal comes several months after MainGate landed its first exclusive collegiate deal with Purdue University. The company also has merchandising deals with three NFL teams, (Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans), two NBA teams—including the Pacers—the Indy Eleven, the Big Ten conference football and basketball championships, the National Hot Rod Association and the NCAA, among others.
MainGate, which employs 300 full-time and part-time workers, also served as a retail partner for five Super Bowls, most recently Super Bowl 50 in 2016. It also manages game-day operations for the home fields for each of its three NFL partners.
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