LSN : News : Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

NFL and Crocs launch fandom footwear as part of new multiyear licensing agreement

Crocs x NFL, US

Global – The National Football League (NFL) and Crocs have announced a multiyear licensing agreement that will combine comfort, sport and style for fans.

The collaboration debuts with a collection of team-inspired classic Crocs featuring Jibbitz charms. The initial release will represent 14 NFL teams with the full 32 teams expected to follow throughout the duration of the licensing agreement. As the partnership expands, fans can look forward to a wider range of products, including bags.

‘The Crocs brand has made a significant impact on footwear culture with their shoes becoming synonymous with ease and comfort,’ said Ryan Samuelson, vice president of consumer products at the NFL. ‘Collaborating with Crocs allows us to give fans expanded options that will keep them stylishly comfortable for gameday and every day.’

Head to our Collaboration Culture report for more on how carefully chosen collaborations can help brands to become a driving force in culture, not just an observer.

Strategic opportunity

Sports teams should extend partnerships beyond merchandise into fashion, leisurewear and accessories. Co-create playful, everyday products that mix team loyalty with cultural identity, deepening engagement and unlocking year-round revenue streams

Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, foresight analyst Seyi Oduwole unpacks Black Scottish TikTok, digital detoxes, parasocial relationships and West Africa’s rising tourism scene.

: Black Scottish TikTok has had me howling all week. It’s a perfect example of unknown identities and micro-communities that are coming to the forefront and why our work is so good at uncovering, analysing and understanding them. One user commented, ‘My husband has been speaking with a Scottish brogue all day... send help and a kilt please.’ This newfound love for Black Scottish people – of which I am one – has me got me thinking maybe it’s my time to shine. Side hustle as a Black Scottish influencer? 2026 career plans are underway.

: I have been on a self-imposed digital detox and while it was great for the soul (yes, I actually touched grass), it also revealed just how attached I’ve become to my favourite creators. This taps in to a bigger theme: the rise of parasocial relationships in a world grappling with a togetherness deficit and an AI bestie revolution. Expect more on this in an upcoming LS:N Global report.

: I’ve been loving our latest Detty December and Nigeria’s Rave Revolution reports. They highlight West Africa’s growing attraction as a mainstream global destination which is full of business opportunities and next-level ways to have fun.

I’ll be unpacking this further in our upcoming travel and hospitality macrotrend report Optimised Odysseys. RSVP for the webinar now.

Topicals Detty December influencer activation, Nigeria

Quote of the Week

‘Today, Black Scots not only embrace the classic symbols of their homeland – like tartan, kilts, and ceilidhs – but do so with a distinctly urban edge: custom plaid streetwear, remixed bagpipe beats, and bold hairstyles that blend natural textures with highland patterns’

Nia Noelle, writer (source: Black America Web)

Stat: Record number of Americans consider even one or two drinks a day to be unhealthy

AI imagery by The Future Laboratory, UK

US – The belief that even moderate consumption (one or two drinks a day) is bad for health has risen to a high of 53%, compared with just 27% in the early 2000s, new Gallup research reveals.

Reported alcohol use has fallen in 2025 to the lowest level since the organisation started to track drinking habits, in 1939. The figures show that 54% of Americans say they drink; in contrast, between 1997 and 2023, at least 60% of respondents said that they consume alcoholic beverages.

Not only are fewer Americans drinking, but those who do are consuming less, with the average weekly intake dropping to 2.8 drinks, the lowest level Gallup has recorded since 1996.

Gallup’s research reinforces insights from our Sober Social Fix report and the Sober Socials theme in Innovation Debrief 2025–2026, both of which highlighted a strengthening sober-curious movement and the growing number of reading parties, supper clubs and fitness groups stepping in to replace bars and clubs and to offer spaces for alcohol-free socialising.

Strategic opportunity

Create third spaces, events and experiences that prioritise social connections without centring alcohol. Align with those who are health-conscious to future-proof against declining drinking rates