Millions of black boys sit in front of televisions with a basketball resting between their crossed legs, watching their basketball icons with awe. Well, one black boy will get to partner with the very organization that molds these icons: the NBA!
Per Forbes, the widely-popular national basketball league has entered a licensing partnership with 15-year-old entrepreneur Moziah “Mo” Bridges and his Memphis based company, Mo’s Bows, which manufactures handmade bow and neckties.
Initiated by the league, the agreement grants Mo’s the rights to manufacture products with the logos of NBA clubs for distribution through the company’s online store as well as retail outlets in a seven-figure licensing deal! The league itself is on track to rack in about $6 billion in revenue this year. Wow!
“Moziah’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit are an inspiration, and we are thrilled about the launch of the Mo’s Bows NBA Collection,” said Lisa Piken Koper, NBA Vice President, Global Partnerships. “We are always looking for ways to diversify our merchandise offerings and cater to our fashionable fan base, and couldn’t be more excited that fans will have a fun and unique way to show support for their favorite NBA teams.”
How did Mo get here? Let's backtrack: In 2014, Mo (who was only 12-years-old at the time) and his mother, Tramica, appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank, where he left enough of an impression that entrepreneur and fashion mogul Daymond John went on to invest in Bridges’ business.
“When I do deals in Shark Tank and in business, I always look at the person first,” noted John. “And when I first met Mo and his mother in The Tank, it reminded me so much of my mother and me. Here was a young man with a great vision and a mother with a strong business sense that was able to keep him grounded. Having both sides of the business equation is always key.”
With John’s support and guidance, Mo’s Bows sales exploded, and the brand landed on the shelf of luxury retailers like Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales.
Bridges became a star in his own right as well, landing on TIME Magazine’s Most Influential Teen List in 2015 and being invited to the White House by former President Barack Obama. That very same year, ESPN hired the 13-year-old Bridges as a fashion correspondent for their NBA Draft telecast, while his company hand-made bow ties for all of the draft picks. Major boss moves!
“My goal has always been to make Mo’s Bows a household name for kid entrepreneurship and men's accessories,” said Bridges. “Partnerships like this one will help me reach my goals of having a full clothing line by the time I graduate from college. It feels really good to know a major company like the NBA believes in me and my vision to shake up the world through fashion."
Given how strict NBA is with their selection process, choosing Mo's Bows, a smaller brand, as a partner is definitely unprecedented. Not unlike he did with John, Bridges must've met quite an impression with the league.
“This is the sort of partnership that is an absolute game changer,” proclaims John. “Mo is someone that continues to inspire me, because I remember I had to wait a number of years to get an NBA license for FUBU. Meanwhile, Mo is still a teen and has the opportunity to align with an international brand like the NBA. This sort of deal will allow Mo to reach a whole new demographic and continue pushing his brand in an amazing direction.”
Want more of Mo's Bows? You can head on over to Mo's Bows website now and represent your favorite team with classic style!
