Icons.com

Icons.com is an online retailer of authentic signed sports memorabilia based in Kentish Town, London. The website was launched in 1999 initially as the leading portal for the personal websites of the world’s top footballers. Since late 2008, it has sold merchandise and memorabilia signed by the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Gareth Bale, Luis Suárez, Sergio Agüero, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Paolo Maldini, Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, Pelé and Eric Cantona.

Icons.com
TypePrivate
IndustryMemorabilia
Founded1999 (1999)
FounderJames Freedman
Headquarters
London, England, United Kingdom
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Edward Freedman
(Chairman)
Daniel Jamieson
(CEO)
ParentMarka Holding
Websitewww.icons.com

In 2010, Icons Shop Limited was awarded the world's first football memorabilia licence by FIFA. It allowed the website to produce a range of official 2010 FIFA World Cup products. Since then, Icons.com has sold official memorabilia for the 2014 World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Euro 2016, The Football Association and Lionel Messi.

In June 2015, Icons Shop Limited sold a majority stake in the company to Marka PJSC and used the investment to purchase the assets of rival business A1 Sporting Memorabilia, thus becoming the world's largest football memorabilia company.[1]

History

Founded by James Freedman, Icons.com was initially a football website that provided regular diary updates from many of the world's top footballers and also guest interviews from some of the biggest names in the football world. It was the leading portal for footballer websites in the world, housing official personal websites of around 70 players.

Football fans had access to diaries about the inside workings of a football club and their lives as professional footballers, as well as other sections focusing on their biographies and lives off the pitch.

In the past, several high-profile players had used Icons.com to announce major breaking-news stories. For example, Marc Overmars became the first player in history to announce a big-money transfer via his personal website in 2000 when he left Arsenal for Barcelona in a £25 million move.[2]

In late 2008, Icons.com became exclusively focused on selling signed memorabilia from the world's best footballers. Icons.com regularly meets past and present players such as Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Kaká, Cesc Fàbregas, Eric Cantona and Fernando Torres for signing sessions and sells its signed shirts, boots and photos direct to the public through the site and exclusively in-store at Harrods.

Icons.com also supplies the prizes for the weekly Sky Sports programme, Revista de la liga.

Official Licences

Icons.com sells official signed memorabilia under licence for the following organisations, tournaments and footballers:

References
  1. FC Business (2015-06-26). "Icons Becomes World's Largest Football Memorabilia Company". fcbusiness.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  2. "Football Stars Hit the Net - Computer Weekly 2001". Computer Weekly. March 8, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
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