U.S. Polo Assn., a Player in the Sports Licensing Industry That's Making History

Every year, executives sit down with their teams to discuss revenue goals and strategy for the upcoming quarters. However, volatile variables can sometimes make achieving these goals easier said than done. Nonetheless, U.S. Polo Assn. — the official, sport-inspired, lifestyle clothing and accessory brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA) — has shrugged off economic volatility this past year by ending 2023 with new records, new markets and successful international campaigns and partnerships.

A New Revenue Record

Originally, in 2022, when USPA Global (the company that manages the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand) sat down to discuss what was next for the brand, executives determined that two billion dollars of revenue could be reached by 2025. But when 2022 came to a close, the company had already surpassed it! Also, this past year, U.S. Polo Assn., once again, reached new heights by breaking 2022’s revenue record of 2.3 billion dollars by hitting the 2.5 billion dollar mark in 2023.

J. Michael Prince, president and chief executive officer, USPA Global, explains, “My world-class, global team has put so much ‘behind the scenes’ work into this brand, and it’s extremely fulfilling to see it really come together in the last few years through vision and execution.”

The U.S. Polo Assn. brand’s exponential growth in the Indian market was certainly one of the main contributors to its success. The expansion the brand experienced in India was due to a successful marketing campaign, the opening of several stores and the launch of an exclusive brand-specific website, USPoloAssn.in, which hosted the creative “Legends Forever Play Together” campaign. The campaign featured four well-known Indian celebrities — Arjun Rampal and Milind Soman (the ‘legends’ of modeling) and Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhuphati (previous tennis partners and the ‘legends’ of sport) — promoting U.S. Polo Assn.’s Fall-Winter 2023 Collection. In the coming months, U.S. Polo Assn. will announce several branding initiatives supporting the sport of polo in India through championship events and polo player brand ambassadors.

The campaign’s visuals focused on these celebrities wearing U.S. Polo Assn. polos, denim, oxfords, sweaters, jackets and t-shirts to convey to consumers the product’s great price-to-value proposition and that India’s ‘legends’ love the classic, American brand. The visuals also communicated that the U.S. Polo Assn. consumer can mirror or twin with the legends through these products.

The idea of ‘twinning’ as a brand exercise was used because the Indian culture places a strong emphasis on the importance of relationships and bonds. Therefore, the act of twinning allowed the Indian consumer to express the closeness and connection felt for the U.S. Polo Assn. apparel line and brand ambassadors.

Two is Better Than One

However, the opening of stores, launching websites and clever campaign ideas are not the only reasons why U.S. Polo Assn. has soared to new zeniths and is becoming one of the most popular and beloved apparel lines for men, women and children in India. To reach success in the Indian markets, USPA Global worked thoughtfully and collaboratively allowing international partners (i.e., Arvind Fashion) to feel invited and comfortable to express the region’s individualistic needs and local consumer desires.

For instance, Arvind Fashion, a manufacturing company that also assists other major brands, is one of the many companies U.S. Polo Assn. has built partnerships with in India. USPA Global first signed a licensing agreement with Arvind Fashions in 2007 for India entry, and through the partnership, Arvind has now helped U.S. Polo Assn. grow its retail presence from a few stores to more than 400 stores. USPA Global is also targeting a one billion dollar business in India alone in the coming years.

“Learning is an important process of breaking records, and I’m extremely grateful to have partners that expand the company’s horizons,” says Prince.

A New Year Means New Peaks to Climb

With 2023 now behind U.S. Polo Assn., the company is looking forward to another year full of success and victories. One victory is that USPA Global will continue their partnership with ESPN to broadcast championship polo games at USPA's new National Polo Center in Palm Beach County, Florida, considered the sports premier polo destination.

Another victory the company is anticipating is the release of its new pet line, which is officially being launched in late 2024. With horses and dogs being such a big part of the sport of polo, the company is elated to expand the brand into new categories and give owners of animals the opportunity to express their love for the sport of polo and the U.S. Polo Assn. brand on their favorite furry friends.

And, one of the most heavily awaited events in 2024 will be the "Paris Games Centennial Polo Challenge" in Paris, France.

U.S. Polo Assn. will be the official sponsor of the USA vs. France polo game during the time of the Paris Olympics at the Chantilly Polo Club in Chantilly, France, which is just outside of Paris. It will take place on August 7, on the last day of the Olympic equestrian events, in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Paris Games.

“This game will be unlike any other because it is the first polo game that has been played during an Olympic period since 1936. There will be champagne, food and music. I know it will be spectacular, certainly a moment to remember,” notes Prince.