Partnerships
Since 1929, Riddell has been committed to improving player protection. Over the years, Riddell has established itself as the leading manufacturer of football helmets, head impact monitoring technologies, shoulder pads and reconditioning services. Through our valued partnerships, Riddell can give back to the football community and help lead football to a stronger future.
National Football League (NFL)
Riddell is proud to serve as An Authorized Supplier of Helmets to the NFL. As part of the relationship, Riddell provides support for youth and high school football initiatives. Riddell is also the NFL’s exclusive commercial licensee for collectible football helmets.
USA Football
USA Football is committed to evolving and growing the sport of football by setting standards and practices to advance coach and player development. Riddell is the official protective equipment partner of USA Football. Riddell supports USA Football by assisting with the organization’s annual grant program, which in 2017 awarded nearly $2 million to scholastic and youth football teams. Riddell is also a sponsor of USA Football’s Heads Up Program, which helps to educate coaches for better and safer play in high schools, middle schools and youth sports organizations nationwide. Additionally, Riddell supports several USA Football programs that are designed to advance coach education, player skill development and safer play. These programs include USA Football’s 7on7, the annual USA Football Protection Tour, and the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams. Lastly, Riddell and USA Football collaborate to distribute educational content and integrated campaigns to stress the best practices for the sport of football.
Pop Warner
Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. (PWLS) is a non-profit organization that provides youth football for participants around the world. Founded in 1929, Pop Warner is the nation’s oldest youth football, cheerleading and dance organization. In addition, PWLS is the only youth sports organization that emphasizes academics as a prerequisite for participation. Riddell is Pop Warner’s official protective equipment and reconditioning provider.
TackleBar Football
TackleBar Football is a leading training tool for football athletes. The TackleBar technology, which is worn with traditional football equipment, includes a harness that is attached around players’ midsections and holds two removable foam bars on the lower back. The TackleBar design teaches and requires players to use proper tackling technique while engaging ball carriers and then ripping off a foam bar to end the play. As a strategic partner, Riddell’s team of direct sales representatives will help expand awareness and use of TackleBar across all levels of football. With support from Riddell, TackleBar is advancing player skill development and on-field performance by limiting contact and impact exposure.
Global Sports Innovation (GSI)
Global Sports Innovation, creators of the Gray Tackle System, is dedicated to working with coaches and football athletes to provide advanced training tools that improve player performance through mastery of tackle techniques and skill development. GSI founder, Richie Gray, is a world renowned elite skills contact specialist, who has deep expertise in rugby and football. Through a strategic partnership, the Gray Tackle System Powered by Riddell is sold exclusively by Riddell. Richie will also serve as a consultant for teams purchasing the tackle system.
Carbon
Carbon’s mission is to reinvent how polymer products are designed, engineered, manufactured, and delivered, toward a digital and sustainable future. Carbon brings together innovations in hardware, software, and molecular science to deliver industry-leading digital manufacturing solutions. Riddell and Carbon have partnered to bring customized, digital design innovation to head protection through Riddell’s Diamond helmet platform. Powered by Carbon, the platform features a 3D printed lattice liner that is digitally manufactured using Carbon’s proprietary Digital Light Synthesis™ (DLS™) technology. The technology is initially available in the Riddell SpeedFlex Precision Diamond, which features Riddell’s Precision-Fit head scanning and helmet fitting process, as well as the SpeedFlex Diamond model.
Catapult
Catapult exists to build and improve the performance of athletes and teams. With precision engineering at the intersection of sports science and analytics, Catapult products are designed to optimize performance, mitigate the risk of injury, and quantify return to play. Today, Riddell and Catapult are partners working to further integrate emerging athlete data in football. Riddell InSite, the game’s leading smart helmet technology, will now integrate its advanced impact data into Catapult’s XOS video system. The partnership provides coaches with unique information that can be used to reduce head impact exposure and improve player performance.
NetVirta
NetVirta is a leader in the mobile, 3D scanning industry, offering a smartphone-based, 3D body scanning solution for apparel, footwear, and sports equipment brands. Their comprehensive solution enables these brands to suggest best fitting products and scale custom-fit offerings. Leveraging NetVirta’s Verifyt app, Riddell captures 3D head shape data of an individual’s head. The app streamlines creation of Riddell Precision-Fit helmets, which are designed uniquely for individual athletes.
Simbex
Simbex brings together a diverse team with cutting edge knowledge of product development, science, data and analytics for tackling complex ideas and creating commercially successful products. Riddell has worked with Simbex for more nearly two decades to create football’s leading smart helmet technology InSite.
Justin J. Watt Foundation
The Justin J. Watt Foundation is a nonprofit, registered 501c(3) organization that provides aid to schools with underfunded athletic programs. Since its inception in 2010, the Foundation has donated over $4,000,000 to 6th – 8th grade after-school athletic programs and over $40,000,000 to communities affected by Hurricane Harvey. Riddell is a sponsor of the annual JJ Watt Foundation Charity Classic, which is held in the spring. Riddell also stands in support of the Foundation’s mission to provide children with opportunities to find joy through organized sports and is proud to work with the Foundation to provide equipment to programs in need
Women’s National Football Conference
The Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) is the sport’s premier women’s football organization. The WNFC united to create a league focused on eliminating the "Pay to Play" model for women's football players, growing the value of teams, and ultimately women's football players.
For Riddell, the relationship with WNFC is notable given the focus on the advancement of women’s professional tackle football and represents the company’s latest engagement into the growing women’s football community composed of approximately 6,000 players and more than 300 teams globally. Riddell is the WNFC’s official protective equipment and reconditioning provider.
Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA)
The Sports and Fitness Industry Association is the leading trade association for more than 1,000 sporting goods and fitness brands, manufacturers, retailers and marketers in the industry. For over 100 years, the SFIA, formerly known as the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, has strived to support their member companies and promote a healthy environment for the sporting goods industry. Riddell serves as a member of SFIA. In addition, Dan Arment, Riddell’s President and CEO, is an active board member.
PHIT America
Launched in January 2013, PHIT America is dedicated to increasing physical activity and fitness to improve the health of Americans. The acronym PHIT stands for Personal Health Investment Today. Riddell serves as a Silver Sponsor through our investment in grassroots school-based programs that emphasize active children.
Manning Passing Academy
Founded by Archie, Cooper, Peyton and Eli Manning, the Manning Passing Academy helps players realize their potential on and off the football field. For 22 years, the Manning Passing Academy has taught running backs, tight ends, wide receivers and quarterbacks the fundamentals of their position and the basic offensive and defensive strategies. MPA is held at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Riddell is the Official Protective Equipment and Head Impact Monitoring Partner of the Manning Passing Academy. Additionally, Riddell is the presenting sponsor of the “Air It Out” competition.
National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association (NAERA)
The National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association has a mission to increase awareness and acceptance of high quality athletic equipment reconditioning/recertification and to reduce the risk of injury for athletes. Members of the NAERA are licensed by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletics Equipment (NOCSAE) to recertify football, lacrosse, softball/baseball helmets and face guards. Riddell serves as one of 21 NAERA members that recondition and recertify athletic equipment.
Polynesian Bowl
The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame honors Polynesia’s greatest players, coaches and contributors. Its permanent home is located at the Polynesian Cultural Center and was established in 2013 by Super Bowl Champions Jesse Sapolu and Ma’a Tanuvasa. Riddell is the equipment partner for the Polynesian Bowl game each year in which every player receives a custom-designed Riddell SpeedFlex helmet and Riddell Power SPK or SPX shoulder pad set from Riddell. As part of the continued partnership, Riddell will also sponsor the 2019 Polynesian Bowl player combine in Las Vegas.
Helmet Fitting.com
HelmetFitting.com utilizes the fitting instructions provided by Riddell on its website, instructional videos, and as part of presentations to football programs. HelmetFitting.com brings industry experts together to get athletes fit to play at every level through step-by-step videos and in-person seminars that teach parents, coaches and athletic personnel how to properly fit football equipment according to manufacturer guidelines. Then, HelmetFitting.com challenges your helmet fitting knowledge with our Youth (14 and under) and High School/College/Professional (15 and older) fitting tests. Empowering parents, coaches and athletic personnel is our mission, and fostering a positive culture surrounding impact sports is our passion.