CELEBRATING Filipinos’ love and passion for collegiate sports, New Era Philippines and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) collaborated on a line of caps bearing the designs of UAAP member institutions in time for the start of Season 81 of the league in September.
In a celebration marking its 3rd anniversary in the Philippines on July 28 at SM Megamall’s Mega Fashion Hall, New Era officially unveiled its partnership with the UAAP, showcasing the first batch of UAAP-themed caps to be made available to the public.
The New Era-UAAP collection comes in signature 9Forty silhouettes, with each cap featuring university sports logos and primary color, and highlighting, New Era and UAAP said, “the union of rich heritage and tradition aimed to innovate a whole new age of lifestyle.”
“New Era is rooted in sports. It has been associated with the MLB (Major League Baseball), NBA (National Basketball Association), and NFL (National Football League). And in the Philippines, the UAAP is one of the biggest sports leagues, if not the biggest, so it makes sense to partner with them and be its official cap,” Melvin Lloyd Lim, president and CEO of Authentic Caps Distributions Inc., the company handling New Era in the country, told BusinessWorld at the launch.
He went on to say that the collaboration with the UAAP is also New Era’s way of making the brand relatable and fresh for the local market.
“In a way it’s like customizing New Era for the Filipino market. The caps are for the alumni of the teams and local collegiate fans in general who want to be identified with a particular school or team,” said Mr. Lim, who said that the partnership will run for three years, beginning in Season 81.
“This is just the start. A lot is still in store for New Era as far as collaboration goes. This is the first batch for UAAP and we are planning to come up with lifestyle products as well. We are also looking at partnering with other groups and artists to make our offering fresh for the local market,” said Mr. Lim, whose group also has partnered with local rapper Gloc-9, National Artist Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, and streetwear brands Progress and Sole Slam.
For the UAAP, the tie-up with New Era should only enhance its already big fan following.
“This is big for the UAAP. Just to be mentioned, through New Era, alongside Major League Baseball, NBA, and NFL means that the UAAP has truly come a long way. I think this is the first time that New Era has partnered with a local league. So it’s really a big recognition on our part,” said UAAP commissioner Rebo Saguisag in a separate interview,
“I think it will do well. Fans nowadays, especially the millennials, really follow their favorite athletes and if they see them wearing certain apparel they would want to buy it. So it’s an opportunity for the UAAP to reach out to more fans and grow. We are excited for future collaborations with the New Era,” he added.
The New Era-UAAP collection was offered for pre-selling for a limited time last Saturday but will be in general release come the UAAP season. The caps will sell for P1,895. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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