Rep the Squad operates a subscription sports-jersey rental service that sends one jersey at a time to subscribers for $19.95 per month; customers return a jersey and receive a different one while their subscription is active. The 12-person company launched the service three months prior with NFL jerseys (Seahawks, 49ers, Lions) and expanded to include Denver and Oakland. It is adding NBA jerseys from the Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and Denver Nuggets and will offer retro Sonics jerseys for Seattle fans. The startup reports more than 500 customers, with Seattle and Detroit as its top markets. Rep the Squad is a spinout of Madrona Venture Labs and is led by CEO Brian Watkins. The company has been growing its selection and markets while iterating on the rental model. Rep The Squad operates a subscription e-commerce service that ships authentic sports jerseys to customers for $19.95 per month ($16.95 for youth), handling sourcing, shipping and cleaning from a Seattle warehouse. The company launched out of Madrona Venture Labs and is led by CEO Brian Watkins, who co-founded the business with Alex Berg. It is starting with NFL jerseys in three markets (Seattle, San Francisco and Detroit) and plans to expand to more teams, additional cities, and other leagues including the NBA this fall. Inventory includes mostly Nike regular jerseys, throwbacks, alternate colorways and special editions; customers can also purchase jerseys after trying them. Technology plans include demand algorithms and potential use of RFID and geofencing to track inventory and enable event-specific features. The startup has 10 employees and says it will raise more capital in the coming months. Athlete endorsements and investor ties to professional teams are a core part of its go-to-market strategy.

Total raised

$3M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Nov 2017