The Collective Marketplace Press Release

The Collective® Marketplace launches on Athlete Direct as premiere platform for women athlete memorabilia

• Exclusive partnership, including top women athletes and sports marketing leader Brandon Steiner, reflects boom in women’s sports collectibles category
• Platform delivers first-of-its-kind direct athlete connection with fans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES (August 2, 2021) – The Collective® Marketplace, on Brandon Steiner’s Athlete Direct, launched today as a first-of-its-kind online platform enabling fans to buy authentic game-used, autographed memorabilia and licensed products of the world’s biggest women athletes. Launching with contributions from Sue Bird, Mia Hamm, Alix Klineman, Hilary Knight, Alex Morgan, Katelyn Ohashi, Nneka Ogwumike, Morgan Pressel, Megan Rapinoe, April Ross, Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi, The Collective® Marketplace was founded in partnership with Brandon Steiner’s Athlete Direct platform as the only online collectible marketplace specifically dedicated to women in sports. Created with support from Wasserman’s women-focused division, The Collective®, the platform will introduce additional athletes timed with major sports milestones including the Summer and Winter Olympics, All-Star Games, the NCAA Tournament and other notable moments in sports.

Fans and athletes alike can now access the marketplace via collectiblexchange.com/pages/collective-marketplace or visit collectivemarketplace.shop.

“The Collective® Marketplace allows women athletes to take ownership over their own memorabilia, removing the middleperson to provide fans direct access to their favorite icons – ensuring 100% authenticity and a direct fan-athlete relationship,” said Steiner. “There is increasing demand for collectibles of women athletes, proving The Collective® Marketplace is poised to be the firstcomer in a dominant growth market.” 

“To those athletes who have been in the game for a while and forged the path for progress, the launch of The Collective® Marketplace is a tangible, celebratory achievement for players and fans alike. For those players from younger generations, the platform is a new opportunity to take immediate ownership of their legacy,” said soccer superstar Mia Hamm.

The Collective® Marketplace is athlete-controlled and designed to allow athletes to provide exclusively licensed and autographed items that have been game-used and team-issued in quantities they determine – giving athletes the ability to determine their own memorabilia’s sale and commercial value. Each item is accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity. Additional athletes will be added in the coming weeks.

Select initial items for sale include: Breanna Stewart Seattle Storm autographed 2018 WNBA All-Star Game-used sneakers; Sue Bird 2002 team-issued USA jacket and pants; April Ross autographed and used long sleeve warm-up; Megan Rapinoe autographed and inscribed "USA!" USA Soccer jersey with Gold 2019 FIFA World Cup Champions patch; Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles Sparks autographed sneakers and Alex Morgan autographed and inscribed "Olympic Gold" Nike Team USA soccer ball, with more on the way. High-resolution images of available items are here.

“With a reported $15 billion industry in sports memorabilia and collectibles that is mainly focused on men’s items, we wanted to create an inclusive space for women athletes to share in the opportunity – enabling them to connect more directly with fans and to take full advantage of their platform,” said Thayer Lavielle, EVP, The Collective® at Wasserman. “To be able to create a marketplace that showcases so many incredible athletes today is a step in the right direction for gender equity in pay, value and opportunity.”

About Athlete Direct

Athlete Direct’s mission is to provide a marketplace community that maintains the highest level of ethics and authenticity. We strive to provide a unique buying and selling experience that will continuously exceed our clients’ expectations. Athlete Direct proudly offers a trusted online collectible platform with a diverse product selection that caters to a global audience. This one-of-a-kind platform enables customers, top-tier collectors, store owners, celebrities, professional athletes and teams to sell their collectibles directly to consumers. Learn more at athletedirect.com.

About The Collective®

The Collective® exists to create change in support of equity and fairness for women.  We aim to raise the visibility and drive inclusion of women in sports, entertainment and culture by providing unique insights, strategies and ideas. Learn more on Twitter @WassCollective and Instagram @wassermancollective.

Press Contact
Graham Nolan

gnolan@teamwass.com

312.342.4055