How do I begin manufacturing my own designs and merchandise for NFL player Troy Polamalu?

Question

hello i am new to this-but i am wondering if anyone can tell me how i would go about manufacturing and selling merchandise and designs that i have made for Troy Polamalu of the NFL. i have not contacted him nor the pittsburgh steelers nor the NFL and i dont really know what i would do first. make my merchandise, get their OK, or what?! im a total newbie so i apologize if my question sounds rookie "ish" thank you in advance for your help.

Answer 1

Basically, if you want to sell anything that has his picture on it, you have to get his permission.  If your picture shows him in uniform or shows him playing football, you also need the permission of the NFL and the Steelers.  

The NFL  has an extensive licensing program, under which they control everything (or at least everything they can).  If you are "a total newbie," you may be in over your head unless you get advice from a good lawyer who understands intellectual property law (in other words, copyright law).  If you don't go about this just right, you could easily find yourself on the wrong end of a lawsuit.  

The NFL fully understands that there is a lot of demand for merchandise with players' names and numbers--jerseys, posters, bobble-head dolls, you name it.  And they are very good business people, so they have taken to selling it themselves.  See, for example, their online store:

http://www.nflshop.com/home/index.jsp

Cracking into that market means you may be competing with the NFL shop (selling similar kinds of items).  So, you need to work out a deal, and you don't want to try that without some professional help.

You were probably hoping for a different answer, something like, "Go ahead.  Pro football players are all public figures."  But unfortunately, it's not as simple as that.  Make a business plan, get an intellectual property lawyer, and talk it over with him or her.  I wish you very good luck.