Bleacher Report Wants To Follow In Footsteps Of “Rick and Morty” For Merchandise Inspired By Animated Programming

Now, this could be interesting.

As Entertainment Weekly gets the exclusive reveal for a new like of Rick and Morty/Funko toys, it sounds like merch inspired by Game of Zones and Gridiron Heights could also be around the corner according to a new report out of Digiday.

Turns out, Bleacher Report is testing the waters of getting into the commerce game with its animated franchises, it sounds like T-shirts and such, could be the first step in that process. The company was behind that “Hooded Melo” meme shirt last year that sold for $60 a piece and sold out.

“It’s a great advantage we have with the Turner relationship — just look at what Adult Swim has been able to do with ‘Rick & Morty,’” said Bleacher Report president Rory Brown. “There’s a certain demographic that is so in love with that content that they’ll support it in whatever way they can. People are not going to buy some random piece of swag from a brand they stumble upon on Facebook. That’s what we’re focused on.”

Our Take

Everyone knows the way you make money in animation is by way of merch, merch, merch! Regardless, this follows our report last year on both Bleacher Report series that is probably the most successful example of how to launch a digital animation brand aside from Rooster Teeth’s RwBy.