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Off the court
Brooklyn sports merchandise
company expands nationwide
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
Score some memorable sports
memorabilia in Brooklyn.
A local sports merchandise company
has gone nationwide, working with
more than 80 professional and collegiate
teams to develop memorabilia for fans
across the country. Flatlands-based
Franklin Group makes bobbleheads, Tshirts,
promotional material, and other
gear for teams in every major sport, according
to the company’s founder.
“We do a little bit of everything. In
today’s world it’s all about fan engagement,”
said Steve Zuller. “Sometimes
we’ll make bobbleheads for teams, or
do a poster, or do T-shirts. Whatever
teams need.”
Zuller, a Brooklyn native, founded
Franklin Group in 1980 as a general
printing company before striking a
multi-year promotional deal with the
Brooklyn Nets.
“When we fi rst started with the Nets,
we were basically printing brochures.
As time went on, we started doing more
and more over the years,” said Zuller.
“We grew with them. It was a Brooklyn
company and a Brooklyn team and they
were really committed to Brooklyn.”
The company used that deal to develop
their business and grow further
into the sports world, according
to Zuller.
“We learned a lot from that experience,
about how teams operate, what’s
the most effi cient way to help teams
with fan engagement, and being an extension
of their marketing teams,” he
said. “So what we did was build out our
infrastructure, in terms of marketing,
business development, and really having
a structure that worked, and taking
that model to other teams.”
Over the last several years, the company
has set up shop in various sports
hubs across the country, opening offi ces
in Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles,
but maintains strong roots in Brooklyn.
The company headquarters — located
at 1856 Flatbush Ave. — is just minutes
A GOOD SPORT: Franklin Group CEO Steve
Zuller poses at its Flatlands headquarters.
Photo by Aidan Graham
from the company’s original home,
where it still works on and printing and
manufacturing, according to Zuller.
“We have remote offi ces all over the
country, but we’ve kept our corporate offi
ce in Brooklyn because we started in
Brooklyn, and Brooklyn’s our home,”
he said.
Franklin Group now employs approximately
40 Brooklynites across its
various departments, after overcoming
initial staffi ng challenges in the borough,
refl ected Zuller.
“A lot of the times, it was diffi cult to
get the right employees here. But, that
has gotten better as Brooklyn has developed
more,” he said. “Now Brooklyn
is a really good place to do business,
there are friendly people, and employees
are loyal.”
Now partnered with organizations
around the country, Zuller said the company
remains committed to their Kings
County home.
“We’re proud to be a part of Brooklyn,”
he said. “I just hope the Nets bring
in some free agents next season.”
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