BCLP Recognized in Mergers & Acquisitions’ Top 2025 Middle-Market Deals of the Year for Role in New Era–’47 Transaction

BCLP has been recognized for its role in a high-impact branded sports headwear and apparel transaction named in Mergers & Acquisitions’ 18^thAnnual Mid-Market M&A Awards. The annual list highlights 13 transactions across a range of industries, selected for their innovation and the challenges they successfully navigated over the past year.

The award-winning transaction involved New Era Cap Global, LLC’s acquisition of ’47 Brand, LLC. BCLP advised New Era on all aspects of the transaction, including the acquisition itself, financing matters and antitrust approvals.

The deal brings together two family-founded brands rooted in sport, fashion, and culture, positioning the combined business to deliver a diversified global portfolio of apparel and accessories. Together, the brands hold licensing agreements with Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, and more than 900 collegiate programs, in addition to numerous international football clubs and events across auto racing, tennis, and golf. The deal, signed on May 15, 2024, has since closed, and the combined company is projected to generate approximately $2 billion in annual revenue. Click here to read New Era Cap’s press release.

Founded over a century ago in Buffalo, New York, New Era is globally recognized for its leadership in headwear and maintains licensing partnerships with many of the world’s largest sports organizations. ’47, founded in 1947 in Boston, grew from a single street cart near Fenway Park into a leading sports lifestyle brand. Currently headquartered in Westwood, Mass., ’47 has retail carriage agreements with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sam’s Club, Lids, and Urban Outfitters, and its e-commerce platform continues to operate independently post-acquisition.

The deal expands ’47’s access to New Era’s established global distribution network, with offices across Europe, Japan, and Australia, creating new opportunities for international growth.

This year’s recognition in Mergers & Acquisitions’ Middle-Market Deals of the Year places BCLP’s work on this transaction alongside a select group of transactions across sectors such as biotechnology and software.

The Corporate Team was led by Partners John Goebel, Aaron Lang, and Amy Taylor Wilson, Counsel Brandon Gershowitz, and Associate Vikas Patel. The Finance Team was led by Partners Bart Wall, Braden Shaw, and Jake Crabtree, and Associates Mustafa Ahmed, and Maddie Kroll. The Antitrust Team was led by Partners Rebecca Nelson and Emilee Hargis, Counsel Paul Barrs, Senior Associate Paul Culliford, and Associate Steve Scannell.

Critical sector-specific assistance came from: Partners Amy de La Lama, Jason Haislmaier, Goli Mahdavi, Doug Mishkin, and Associate Darian Mendez (Technology, Commercial and Data); Partners Andrew Hart, and Tonio Sadoni, Associates Isabella Oughtred, Aslan Sönmez, Yana Tanck, and  Jessica Matz (Corporate Transactions); Partners Tim Glasgow, Cathryn Benedict, and Steve Evans (Tax, Employee Benefits and Private Client); Partner Ken Achenbach and Associate Aaron Lapniewski (Finance Transactions); Associate Chasmine Williams (Class Actions and Mass Torts));  Senior Counsel Anthony George  (Employment & Labor); Partner Jim Brescoll  (Commercial Real Estate); Partner Bryan Keyt (Energy, Environment and Infrastructure); Partner Mark Paskar (Intellectual Property and Technology Disputes); and Counsel Steve Trubac (Business& Commercial Disputes). Partner Steve Stimell is the Client Relationship Partner.