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Retail shop to open inside Bryant-Denny Stadium will include Alabama athletes' NIL merchandise


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A new retail merchandise store is coming to Bryant-Denny Stadium, and it will be unlike any Alabama gear shop to ever come before it.

The University announced Monday a new partnership with Fanatics that expands an existing relationship between the two, including licensee rights on fan apparel, e-commerce, collectibles and more.

As part of the agreement, Fanatics will launch the first retail team store to open inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, offering not only licensed team apparel but also athlete NIL merchandise, trading cards, and even game-used memorabilia. Student-athletes will also be able to provide the shop with autographed items for sale, and even engage in meet-and-greet sessions with fans.

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The shop, called The Authentic, is expected to open during the 2022 football season. It's unclear where in the stadium it will be located.

"Fanatics has been one of Alabama Athletics’ top partners for more than a decade and this new deal elevates our relationship to new heights," said Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne. "By taking advantage of the expanded breadth of Fanatics’ services, we have put our University and student-athletes in a position to maximize sales and brand exposure with Fanatics’ blue-chip family of brands, including Fanatics Commerce, Topps, and Candy Digital. I think our fans will be fired up when they see everything come together inside The Authentic shop at Bryant-Denny, which we plan to open this season."

The NIL aspect of the retail store will allow fans to support athletes directly; the NCAA is entering its second year allowing athletes to profit from their NIL rights.

The 2022 home schedule includes seven games, beginning Sept. 3 against Utah State.

Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @chasegoodbread