The New Stuff is Here!

The new NFL league-wide merchandise contract took effect yesterday, and already the Packers are hawking their wares.

Featuring bolder Packers designs as well as traditional collections, the launch date for the team’s initial product lines with new partners has arrived and the Packers Pro Shop has unveiled the new performance gear, t-shirts, sweatshirts and headwear for men and women.

Nike, New Era and Forty Seven Brand are three of the new official apparel and headwear suppliers to the NFL. Each has brought the latest details and design philosophies to their products and these are now available at the Packers Pro Shop at Lambeau Field and packersproshop.com. Each product line will develop and grow throughout the season with new offerings.

"These companies have brought fresh ideas, new expertise and new designs, but they also understand the history and tradition of the Packers," Packers Director of Retail Operations Kate Hogan said. "There has been a lot of planning involved by the team and the companies in creating these products, and we’ve brought everything to the table – performance, fashion and durability."

Nike takes over as the NFL's official on-field provider and also offers a wide variety of performance and lifestyle gear. Hogan said the Packers authentic jersey the team has worn for decades won’t change when the official jerseys for every team are unveiled by the NFL in New York City on April 3, but the initial replica jerseys – available from the Packers in mid-April – will have mild alterations in fit and design.

Hogan said Nike has created several innovative styles for fans in t-shirts, sweatshirts and other outerwear.

"Nike customers are already excited about being able to get a brand they are loyal to with Packers logos," Hogan said. "That's part of the brand power of Nike. They have also brought progressive designs and their performance expertise to the table. You’ll also see some of the classic slogans from previous Nike advertising campaigns used in some of their collections."

New Era hasn't produced NFL hats in more than a decade, but their iconic 59Fifty fitted cap is the official hat of Major League Baseball. The company's hats will be part of the authentic gear worn on the sidelines, but they will also feature a fashion line with bolder, graphic-rich designs.

"New Era brings more than 90 years of expertise to the NFL, so they have a legacy of quality in the business," said Hogan. "New Era's team collection will be all structured hats that are fitted, adjustable or with snap backs. They have focused their designs on both the sports heritage of teams and fashion."

Forty Seven Brand, a company titled at its founding in 1947, also supplies NFL headwear, as well as Packers casual wear. They will have a large selection of baseball-styled caps that are more lifestyle-themed, including relaxed hats that aren’t structured.

"This is just the kickoff from these new manufacturers," said Hogan. "This hasn’t been a quick transition without a lot of thought by the Packers or the companies. The Packers are special to our fans and they wear these colors with pride, and we put a lot of appreciation into that with the designs we created."

That cap display with the footballs is pretty clever. I'm also intrigued by these offerings:

There - fifth cap from the right - Lombardi's classic "GB" cap. They haven't offered that one in a little while, except as a snapback from Mitchell and Ness (who insist on slapping their name on each one). I'm presuming that's what we're seeing here, but could we see a new version, possibly from New Era? Still holding out hope for a version from '47 Brand.